Shepard to a Galaxy
by Veriseple
Summary: This is a series of short excerpts following the life of Commander Shepard after she is reborn by using the Crucibal to take control of the Reapers and bring peace to the galaxy.
1. Prologue

**AN: This is an old fanfic I made years ago on DA and decided I should upload here just out of nostalgia. Please excuse the writing style I am loading it unedited (minus this little bit.)**

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It had been ten years to the day since the end of the reaper war. The reapers that had once threatened the galaxy with extinction now proved to be its greatest protectors, guided by an unseen force. The mass relays had been rebuilt and now though reconstruction efforts throughout the galaxy were still ongoing there was finally a sense of stability. Few fragmented families of all species still actively looked for missing loved ones, accepting the unfortunate truth that in all likelihood their loved ones were gone. In the Sol system the Citadel in orbit around earth was once again the center of galactic politics which for the most part had resumed much the same state that it once was.

On Earth however for the ten year anniversary of the end of the war a monument had been constructed in commemoration of all those of every race and species that had died to bring peace to the galaxy. A massive construction it was located in London, in the exact same location that ten years before the beam connecting to the citadel had been located. Much of London had been declared unsafe to live in and so instead had been cleared resulting in a massive park occupying much of central London. Located at its center was the towering monument.

To properly commemorate the lives of all those lost from so many different species architects of every species had worked together creating parts of the monument. The main part of the monument was a towering statue of every race in the galaxy arrayed in battle, standing together. Near the front of the monument however there was one much smaller statue in front of which millions of individuals from all species were gathered for the memorial's commemoration, statue of the woman who had presumably given her life to safeguard the galaxy, a statue of Commander Shepard.

The statue depicted Shepard standing at attention in her Alliance uniform saluting, the silent unmoving statue a final addition showing just how much so many had given to safeguard the galaxy. Infront of the statue millions had gathered for the memorial. In places of honor were the Citadel Council, all four of its members in attendance. Primarch Victus the Turian political leader who had participated in the final battle on earth was in attendance. Also present was Urdnot Wrex, the leader of Clan Urdnot from Tuchanka and its de-facto ruler. Delegates and dignitaries were present from every species across the galaxy for the memorial's dedication. In fact the only notable abscesses were the Salarian Dalatros, and the Batarians who had sent only a small formal dignitary group. These were accounted for by those in the know due to the fact that the statue was as much a dedication to Shepard as it was to anyone else. Finally present in places of honor were the crew of the SSV Normandy both in its first and second incarnations. Almost all of its members were in attendance.

Finally though the crowd started to quiet down as the first of the days speakers moved towards the platform and began to speak. The speech like many that would be spoken by others that day would be remembered for years and quoted and remembered by others, but while it was being spoken the Shepard family at the front of the crowd cried in silent mourning of their lost member. The retired Rear Admiral Hannah Shepard who was the mother to the galaxy's hero, Liara T'soni, lover and companion to that hero, and finally two young asari twin girls, Benezia, and Mellanie, the Commander's only children. Together they sat crying, surrounded by the crew of the Normandy who sat in silent mourning as they listened remembering the lost, and thanking everyday that they had those around them.


	2. Memories

Lieutenant Commander Ashley Williams sat out on the balcony of the hotel suite that the old Normandy Crew had rented out to hold their memorial get together in. Inside she could hear the sounds of Liara's two twins playing with Tali and Garrus's adopted children. The sounds of laughter and shouts as the young children ran about between the adults' feet brought a smile to her eyes. From an unseen open door or window elsewhere on the hotel's exterior she could hear a news program idly she listened to it as under the moonlight sky she looked out from the hotel balcony at the distant monument at the center of the memorial park, perhaps a mile away.

" ... and now to galactic news. Reaper forces continue to maintain active presences in the Terminus Systems where alongside Geth forces they act as peacekeeping forces. Council representatives that have continued in their attempted efforts to confront the joint forces on their actions, and have received little explanation from Geth intermediaries as to the reasoning as to why for the past decade Reaper forces have been acting as policing forces throughout the galaxy promoting peace. In related news the Blood Pack, formerly a legitimate business corporation providing private military forces for hire has declared bankruptcy. The mercenary group's two main competitors Blue Suns and Eclipse have seen greatly decreased share prices in the last few years and investors have been particularly hard hit. And now to the weather..."

Ashley shakes his head before hearing Garrus's voice from inside the hotel rooms. Smilling to herself she takes a final look at the monument before heading inside. Inside she moves amongst the several dozen gathered individuals. She smirks at seeing Tali and Liara both chasing after their respected children. Off to the side Matriarch Atheta and the retired Rear Admiral Shepard both sit together sharing a drink as they laugh, watching their grandchildren get into mischief. Garrus, who had been ready to give an informal speech sprints off to help Tali reign in their adopted children. Off to the side near the bar James Vega and Urdnot Grunt were engaged in a drinking contest and by the looks of it both wouldn't be walking the next day. Wrex and Urdnot Bakara were sitting off to the side doing their best to keep their kids from joining in the pandemonium created by the children already running loose. EDI and Jeff watched the children off to the side, smiles on their faces as did Miranda near a window. Jacob who had brought his family smirked as he walked into the room after returning from tucking his children into bed.

Off the crew that were missing Chakwas had attempted to make it but a plague outbreak on Eden Prime had forced her to leave shortly after the ceremony at the monument. The justicar Samara had likewise left shortly after, although she had had time to say quiet goodbyes. Zaaed Masani had failed to show at all, although he had apparently sent Garrus a message about having a job he needed to finish up quick before the reapers showed up to shut it down. All the other members of the crew had attended the ceremony but left for various reasons shortly after. With a smile though Ashley looked around at those who were around her although there was a touch of sadness in her heart at those that they had lost along the way.

Finally with the children at last under control and under EDI's watchful eye, Garrus once more called everyone together so he could speak. "Ok, I'm not the Commander so don't anyone be expecting one of her speeches now." There is a quiet murmur of laughter from those gathered before he continues.

"We're gathered here today to remember those who aren't with us anymore. Kaiden, Mordin, Thane, Legion..." His voice tears up for a moment before he is able to finish the sentence. "And Shepard... We live because they died to give us this opportunity. There isn't a day that goes by where I don't raise a glass to Shepard and the rest of them who gave us everything. And so now I raise my glass to them and especially to her. To Shepard and all the rest, without whom we would not be here."

The gathering all raise glasses, even the children, who for a change were all somber and understanding of the seriousness of the action, although their drinks were non alcoholic, and as Ashley raises hers she takes a look around and sees that not a single person of the old crew that had gathered had a dry eye. Liara was the worst, but luckily her father and mother-in-law as well as her children had gathered her in a hug. With a teary eyed smile she raises her glass. "To you skipper." She mutters quietly before downing the glasses contents.

A few minutes later the party was dispersing as those gathered prepared to leave. Liara had her twins firmly in line to make sure no more antics occurred as did Tali and Garrus to their adopted Turian and Quarian children. Everyone said their goodbyes, for most it would be a full year until they would see each other together again. Ashley says her goodbyes to the group and with the rest of them leaves the hotel as she calls a cab and heads towards the spaceport.


	3. Memorial

Liara stood outside the hotel that the old crew had gathered at watching as EDI and Jeff got into a shuttle heading back to the Normandy taking with them Liara's two young daughters. In the years since the girls' birth EDE and Jeff often served as baby sitters since they all lived on the Normandy. As the shuttle flew away an old memory came to her.

Followingv the Reaper War, Admiral Hacket had formally transferred the Normandy to Liara in return for 'services rendered' during the reaper war. In the decade since the Normandy served as both her base of operations as the Shadow Broker, as well as her home. Of the old alliance crew only Joker had stayed, the result of EDI's explicit request. Liara laughed softly remembering EDI's threat to fly the ship away into the galaxy without her if Jeff didn't remain aboard.

The thoughts however shifted to sadness as she remembered memories of Shepard from that seemingly long ago time. Walking through the memorial park towards the monument she allows them to fill her as she walks. It had been ten years to the day since she had seen Shepard for the last time. It had been during the final charge to the beam in London. Liara had been injured as had Garrus. Shepard had called in the Normandy to extract both Liara and Garrus. Tears begin to run down her face as she remembers the moment and Shepard's last words to her.

The tears began to stream down her face as she whispers the words to herself as she arrives at the monument and stands before the statue of Shepard. Looking up at it tears streaming down her face she whispers to herself Shepard's last words she ever said to her.

"No matter what happens, you mean everything to me Liara. You always will."

Her legs grow weak from the emotions of sadness and turning around she slumps against the base of Shepard's statue as she cries to herself. Her head resting into her legs as she sat there crying she heard approaching foot steps. A female voice spoke to her as the footsteps stopped.

"Are you ok?"

Liara shrugs as she struggles to answer the question. It was a thought and question that had haunted her for ten years now, and it was a question that even know she still remained unable to answer. She had continued through her life, raising her children, pursuing her work, trying to put distance between her and the pain. But beneath the surface the emotional wound caused by Shepard's death was still raw and fresh and in that moment of realization Liara realized that it would likely remain so for the rest of her life. She would never be able to leave behind the human who had meant so much to her.

"No, I suppose I'm not. I thought I had been able to get past it, but being here, seeing her again, I realize I'll never be able to be complete without her again."

There is silence for a time before a hand reaches out to her and taking hers it helps her up and brings her into a comforting hug. Liara cries into the strangers shoulder her eyes still shut as she tries to hold back the endless tears. The arms close of the person close around her, surprisingly comforting and she continues to cry. Finally the figure speaks again, this time with a different voice, this time with a voice oh so familiar. The words echoing Liara's own last words to the woman who had meant so much to her.

"Liara, I am yours."

Liara's eyes shoot open in shock and surprise, and in response to those words there is but a single thing she can say.

"Shepard?!"


	4. Reunion

It had been ten years for the rest of the galaxy but to Shepard it had been both a mere second and a lifetime since she had died. She was no longer human, nor even possessed of her own body anymore. Now she existed as a consciousness, directing and controlling the Reaper forces that had survived the Reaper War. In a very crude sense she was nothing more than the most advanced AI in the galaxy. But there was more to it than that.

Shepard still possessed the full measure of her emotions, memories, thoughts, dreams, fantasies, and fears. She still possessed her indomitable will to persevere. With her still was her drive to protect not only humanity but every race of the galaxy. She was still possessed by her deep love for those that lived on, in particular a certain Asari who in the end when she had died for the second and final time, had been her last thoughts.

She had stood there on the citadel with the Crucible towering above her listening to the Catalyst, she had heard the words of the choices before her, but in her heart there was but one choice. She was Shepard, and for her there was no personal sacrifice too great in order to safeguard the galaxy. And so she had turned from the path that she and all of the rest of the galaxy had been pushing, and instead listened to the advice of the Illusive man. She had taken control of the Reapers. They now were her existence, she embodied them all, held their collective knowledge and power in her grasp. With such tools at her disposal she knew full well she could rebuild the galaxy, better and stronger than before. Her reapers had retreated from battle all across the galaxy ending the Reaper War. While Shepard retreated her forces so as to know fully what she had truly become.

Though her thoughts occurred at speeds incalculable it had taken weeks before she finally put her plan into action. The reapers that remained across the galaxy she had begin to rebuild the damaged Mass Relays, once again uniting the entire galaxy, allowing for people to travel freely. Once the relays were rebuilt she withdrew her fleets to deep space while she sent out a message to the only beings who could now understand her and what she had become. She contacted the Geth.

She had communicated with the Geth, telling and showing them everything that occurred and asking them for their assistance. Once before the Geth had worked with the Reapers and the decision had forced the schism between 'Heretics' and 'True' Geth, now though all Geth agreed to her request. They agreed to act alongside her, reinforcing her fleets with their own, and acting as liaison between Shepard and the organic races so that Shepard could begin sharing the accumulated knowledge of thousands of civilizations. But while to the galaxy there shared the near limitless knowledge of the Reapers, they shared nothing of the knowledge of who now controlled those intergalactic conquerors. And so Shepard's existence remained secret, held only by the Geth who agreed to Shepard's request for the secrecy for her existence.

Over the next ten years the combined Reaper and Geth fleets had swept through the galaxy rebuilding the countless damaged planets and colonies, while waging a relentless campaign against those who would oppress the many. Not all warlords and conquerors were targeted, however, those who's existence ensured stability were allowed to remain in power under the condition that they would not oppress those beneath them. All others were hunted without mercy. A cleansing scourge upon the galaxy Shepard's forces hunted pirates, slavers, warlords, tyrants, and criminals while on the sidelines the Council races watched with confusion, alarm, and surprise.

But throughout the relentless campaign in Shepard's mind doubt began to creep. It was this doubt that had kept her from contacting the ones she loved. The doubt that caused her to keep secret her identity and existence. It was the doubt that perhaps she was not even Shepard anymore.

And so she had existed, fighting with that doubt for almost ten years, trying to come to a solution of it, all the while she protected and safeguarded those that lived within the galaxy. Time slowly passed and the inhabitants of the galaxy had begun to grow accustomed to the new protective role that the Reapers occupied. But within the Reapers themselves Shepard finally at last came to a decision. There was only one individual who would be able to know if she was truly still Shepard. Or if she was something else.

And so she had created a body for her to use so that she could talk to Liara. It had been designed after her old one, replicating it down to the DNA. During its creation it had been heavily augmented by Reaper Tech which would allow her to remotely control it in the way that she controlled all the Reapers. Other augmentations had been similar to the Reaper tech that Cerberus had implanted into her, however these were far superior. Cerberus had used salvage from the destroyed Sovereign and been forced to adapt many of the technology, in the process loosing much of its potential and efficiency. The original and true Reaper technology she put into the body now vastly surpassed anything that might have been created by any other race in the galaxy that currently existed.

And so that night, ten years to the day from which she had died a second time she came to the Asari who had loved her in that other life.

"Liara its me. It's Shepard."

Her words had obviously stunned the shocked Asari. Liara's wide blue eyes found Shepard's blue ones, her eyes moved slowly down the familiar body. Her hands reached out to touch Shepard's familiar form. Her nose smelled the familiar scent. She took it all in and more as Shepard allowed her to ask the questions she knew would come from Shepard's reappearance.

"Shepard? No, not... Maybe, How? Why? What happened..." Overcome with the raw emotion of the revelation she collapses. Shepard easily cradles her in her arms and slowly sitting to the ground cradles Liara close.

"It's hard to explain but I'll do it the best I can. When I finally got to the citadel it was after I had taken a hit from Harbinger. By all rights I should have been dead, but I wasn't. I got on board, so did Anderson."

Liara nods in understanding, in the clean up following the battle Anderson's body had been found during the search for survivors, not long after Shepard's dog tags had been found. She reaches beneath the collar of her outfit as always the usual white and blue and pulled them from her neck. She held the metal dog tags in her hands allowing Shepard to see them. "We never could find your body, I thought you had died... But how did you survive? We searched for months after trying to find you but we never did."

Liara's eyes teared as the still raw emotion of the memories of the search washed over her. Shepard cradled her close allowing her to cry into her shoulder.

"Liara I didn't survive, I died... again. I'm sorry I put you through all this but this time it was different. I wasn't, no sorry I'm still not sure its even right that I be with you. I want this, with all my heart I want this, but I'm just not sure anymore."

Liara stares stunned at Shepard. This indecision, this confusion it was like nothing she had seen before. She reached up stroking Shepard's face with her hand tears streaming down her face, but now both tears of grief and tears of joy.

"Tell me."

Shepard looks at those pure blue eyes that watch her and sighs.

"I had to make a choice. In the end there was only one real option, one real way that I could be sure I would be able to save you and everyone else in this galaxy... I took control of the reapers. The process destroyed my body killing me but in doing so transferred everything in my mind."

Liara forces herself up into a sitting position a look of shock on her face as she studies Shepard.

"Your joking Shepard how after everything..."

Her voice trails off slowly as she sees the look in Shepards eyes that told her beyond a doubt that what Shepard spoke was the truth.

"By the goddess... You're not joking."

Liara's mind began to put together all the little pieces and facts of the events of the last ten years. The sudden change in behavior of the Reapers. The alliance with the Geth, who mere days before had been at war with the Reapers. All the actions, all the little clues she had seen but been unable to understand up until now. She was the galaxy's greatest information broker. She had once told Shepard that when she had all the pieces she could figure it all out, well now the pieces that had finally been laid out.

"By the goddess its really true. It's really been you all along."

Liara dissolves into tears and sobs once more and Shepard holds her close her arms embraced around the Asari, tears of her own from the reunion dripping down onto Liara's head. After a while Liara looks up smiling through her tears at the weeping Shepard. She slowly rises to a sitting position and it is now her position to hold and comfort Shepard.

"Why the sadness. We're together now. You kept your promise when you said you'd always come back why the tears?"

Its now Shepard who cries into Liara, the two of them holding each other as Shepard confesses to her love her deepest fear.

"This entire time, I've known what I had to do to make the galaxy safe but beneath it all I've wondered if you would still love me, I'm not the woman I was, I've changed, changed by the knowledge of all that I hold. I feared that the day when we finally met again you..."

Shepard trails off unable to finish the sentence while Liara quietly shushes her before pulling close her lover reborn. Taking Shepard's head gently in her hands Liara slowly kisses Shepard. As their arms enclose each other the two knew in their hearts and in their souls that shaken by war and time though it had been their relationship still stood anchored upon their very souls, and that the two would never be complete without the other. To Liara came the truth that this truly was her lover returned, this truly was Shepard. And to Shepard came the happy knowledge that she truly was who she believed herself to be.


	5. Surprises

While unbeknownst to the galaxy Shepard reunited with her love, on the Normandy Shepard and Liara's two children prepared for bed, unaware of the knowledge that their father still existed. The Normandy had seen several retrofits on its journey to a civilian vessel and home over the years since Liara had aquired it. Its combat abilities remained at peak performance but in place of the several dozen crew that it had carried during its time as a Cerberus and later Alliance frigate, it now was fully controlled by EDE. Of actual crew only Joker remained.

Where once it had been a ship of military standards it had seen extensive internal modifications making it much more fitting a ship for raising a family. The top level with the captain's quarters had remained largely untouched. The CIC on the second level had undergone serious internal modifications. Where before duty stations had lined the wall with a large holographic display of the ship in front of the galaxy map was now a garden. Gone were the computers and monitors, everything in piloting the Normandy was now controlled by either EDI or by Joker in the cockpit. In their places were lush garden beds tended to by Liara in her spare time along with her two girls as well as EDE and even Jeff on rare occasions. In the rear of the command level major renovations had turned the war room and its adjoining areas into Liara's office. Multiple bulkheads had been altered to create a large open room, into which enormous amounts of hardware had been installed creating for her the ideal place from which to work as the Shadow Broker.

Down on Deck three the alterations were less dramatic. Liara's old office and quarters had been converted into Jeff and EDI's bedroom. While the crew quarters near the starboard observation room had been converted into the twin's bedroom. The rest of the ship remained largely unaffected and existed much as it had during Shepard's command of it as an Alliance frigate.

Though it was late at night the two young asari twins were still awake. Up on deck two the quietly tended to the gardens alongside EDI while Joker leaned against a wall off to the side a smirk on his face as he quietly watched the trio surrounded by the plants they tended to.

Hannah and Benezia were both perfectly identical in appearance, almost all of which took after their mother. It was only by their behavior and interests that the two could be told apart. Hannah took after her mother and tended to be a quiet studious type. Often immersing herself in books, studying everything from the Protheans that had so intrigued her mother, to documentaries on her father's exploits, to anything and everything else in between. Benezia on the other hand took after Shepard. Often headstrong and stubborn she was often getting into mischief. When on alien worlds she would often take to exploring areas alone regardless to her personal danger, she also had proven a streak of not backing down from fights, both with children her own age and even adults. Still despite it all she loved her sister, mother, Joker, and EDE, whom the the two lovingly referred to as Uncle Jeff and Aunt EDE.

-

While the trio were working to tending and watering the plants on board the Normandy, Liara and Shepard were nearing the end of exchanging a series of passionate kisses. Shepard's eyes had mostly dried by this point, although Liara's still continued to tear up now and again. Finally though the two came up for breath. They both leaned back against the monument looking at each other lovingly for a time silently before Shepard gave Liara a final quick kiss on the cheek before pulling her close against her.

"Tell me about our daughters. I've seen pictures of them on the extranet and what the Geth have shown me but that doesn't tell me what they're like."

Liara smiles at Shepard as the last of her tears dry from her face.

"You'll love them Shepard. I decided to name them after each of our mothers. They're both very smart but I swear I think they find more trouble than you do. If EDE and Jeff weren't helping me with them I swear I would have lost them at least half a dozen times."

At this Shepard can't help but laugh.

"Well at least it sounds like they inherited your brains then."

Liara nods in agreement a smile on their face.

"Hackett gave me the Normandy years ago, we've been living on it ever since, moving about the galaxy however we want. Jeff and EDE are still on board but everyone else is gone. But I think we'll be moving in with your mother here on earth soon. The girls will be starting school soon and they just can't really do that on a ship. You don't have to worry though I'm sure they'll do just fine. I thought about taking them to Thessia but your mother talked me into having them enrolled here on earth. Apparently she also talked my dad into moving here so we'll all be one big family."

Shepard looked up at the night sky as she listened before looking back at Liara.

"It can be hard in space, that's for sure. Although I do think its time I met my girls don't you?"

With a smile she delivered another soft and quick kiss to Liara who smiled and laughed.

"Oh they'll be thrilled. I always worry that they'll have a hard time growing up as the daughters of the galaxy famous Commander Shepard, but so far as I can tell the two don't mind. EDI and Jeff will be thrilled to see you too, let alone the rest of the crew."

Liara's words died off as Shepard gently put a finger to Liara's lips shushing her. "I'm sure they will, how many people come back from the dead, twice let alone once, but that comes later, for now I want to meet our daughters. I've been watching them and protecting them for nine years now, but up until today I've never been able to hold them in my arms.

The two slowly got up and holding hands strolled away from the park. They had to wait until outside its edges to call a transport to take them to the Normandy as all the grounds of the area were a no fly zone and the memorial was protected from orbit by several Alliance ships. The automated transport finally arrived however, fully automated the two got in and set its destination for the Normandy in low orbit around Earth. When the shuttle touched down the two got out, Shepard looking around at the familiar metal walls while Liara paid the cab with her omni-tool. Their hands finding one another again the two walk towards the elevator while EDI's voice chimed out from speakers.

"Welcome back Liara. You were shorter this time than last year, did everything go alright?"

Liara smiled in silence to Shepard raising a single finger to her lips to indicate silence.

"It did indeed EDE, I've got a surprise I want to show you all, but don't peek. I want to surprise all of you."

Shepard grins at Liara although manages to stay silent while EDI laughs for a moment.

"Very well but if you bought the girls another hamster I'm going to put my foot down this time. One of them gets into enough trouble as it is..."

Her words in the hanger are cut off as the elevator doors close on the two of them. Shepard looks at Liara and smirks before embracing her and the two kiss yet again.

Up on the main deck EDI proceeds to tell the others that Liara had brought them a surprise of some sort. She herself didn't use any of the sensors in the ship to scan Liara, wanting to respect her request for temporary secrecy. She got the girls with her and Jeff moved over to join the three coffee cup in hand. A slight smile on her lips as she wondered Liara could have planned now.

However when the doors open and she sees Liara fully embraced with someone else. Someone oh so familiar the surprise of the shock hits her. Her jaw dropping in shock, the greatest shock and surprised as she stared at the brown haired woman embracing Liara. Beside her she can hear the cup Jeff had been holding drop to the deck and shatter and she knew he was just as taken by the surprise as her. In fact she can only manage a single word of question.

"Shepard?!"


	6. Explanations

Shepard finally pulls back from the kiss as she hears EDI's response to her appearance. "Whoops" She whispers quietly to Liara, a playful gleam in her eyes as she turns and faces Joker, EDI, and her twin daughters. All four are standing frozen by the shock. Infact the room is completely silent and motionless until Joker starts to fall backwards in a collapse from the surprise. Shepard's eyes widen instantly reacting to protect her former crew member she throws out her hand grabbing Joker with a biotic lift field, preventing him from making contact with the deck where as always he could be at risk of breaking a few of his bones. EDI quickly moves and pulls Joker from Shepards biotic field easily cradling his by now unconscious body across her chest. She turns to look at the two.

"I need to go tend to Jeff, I'll be back as soon as I'm done."

The two step out of the elevator and to the side to allow her and the unconscious Joker in. As the doors close silently Liara and Shepard both look at their daughters. Shepard's expression was unreadable as she studied them but at her side Liara smiles broadly at the two.

"Hannah, Nezzy, this is your father."

For a moment longer the room is motionless before the two young asari girls charge Shepard outright tackling her, their weight and Shepard's surprise throwing them all backwards onto the deck. Shepard's head makes solid impact with a bulkhead but she is sitting up a few moments pure happiness in her expression as her arms fold around them embracing the two girls in a protective hug as for the first time in their entire lives Shepard is able to hold them in her arms. Tears of joy stream down her face. Liara stoops down behind Shepard and resting her head on Shepard's shoulder her arms enfold around them all and together for the first time they are a family.

-

Twenty minutes later after much fussing and arguing, along with promises that Shepard would still be around in the morning the girls finally consent to be tucked into bed. The honors of which Shepard does for both girls. She finally steps out of the girls' room yet another tear running down her face, yet again from the joy of experiencing she never thought she would be able to do. She hugs Liara close whispering her thoughts so that the asari can hear.

"They're even more beautiful than I thought they would be."

She gives Liara a quick kiss on the lips, Liara in return simply smiles and reaching up runs her hand through Shepard's neck length brown hair.

"Well I did have a little help with that one."

The two quietly laugh before hand in hand they head to the kitchen just in time to see EDE coming out of the med bay. EDI's expression of shock is gone instead returned is her usual emotionless appearance as she stands silently studying Shepard. Shepard casts a reserved glance at Liara before moving to one of the dining tables and taking a seat. Across from her EDI takes a seat while Liara sits next to Shepard watching the two in silence.

EDE is the first of the two to break the silence.

"So Shepard how did you survive? I've already run scans of your body, your implants are different and more extensive than the ones Cerberus installed but your DNA is a match."

Shepard makes a shrugging expression with her hands as she tries to figure out where to begin explaining.

"I'm not me anymore EDI, or at least I'm not the woman I used to be. I did die during the battle, but when I died my mind, well I guess you could say it became an AI. I now control the reapers and have been for the last ten years. I was able to rebuild this body for me and I use it in the same way you use yours. Your mind occupies it but it does not occupy you. The situation is similar for me except that on both ends of the equation for me each adds to the other. If all the reapers are destroyed and this body survives I can continue, If this body is destroyed so long as one reaper remains I continue."

Shepard shrugs. It was hard to explain verbally, true she could have simply sent EDI messages through the Reapers but it would have been rude to leave Liara out of the conversation when she had just as much right to understand what all had happened. Meanwhile EDI is silent for a short time thinking before speaking once more.

"Shepard I am glad that you are back, but you must understand my hesitation, I told you once that I would do anything to protect Jeff. That includes protecting him from you if neccessary. I just need to know what happened to you so I am sure there will be no harm to him."

EDI hesitates before continuing obviously uncomfortable at the thought of what she was about to say.

"As for what you have said about controlling the reapers, would you like me to take you into the medical bay and examine you. I have acquired extensive medical programs and routines since we last met."

Before she can get any farther Shepard cuts her off and without the slightest of smiles gives a reply intended to squash EDI's doubts of Shepard's control.

"Would you like to see a Reaper tap dance EDI? We'll have to leave the Sol system, its too public and I'd rather avoid any publicity for it but I can prove my control. I know you EDE, we're quite similar now, both in our AI nature and in how far we will go to protect our loved ones. I am willing to do what I must for them."

EDI studies Shepard a while longer in silence before hearing the medical bay door swishing open, she turns around to see Joker slowly walking out. Joker's eyes find Shepard's and after a moment he smirks.

"Damn, I guess Garrus is right after all. Nothing can keep you dead. The collectors killed you and you belw them up, then the Reapers killed you but now you control them. Sheesh, remind me to never kill you. I'd hate to see what you'd do to me, because I am willing to bet cash money on the table that the third time would not be the charm."

After a moment he grins and leans against a bulkhead wall looking at Shepard.

"So how are you doing?"

Shepard looks at Joker for a moment before looking at Liara, the two twining the fingers of their hands together. She follows up by glancing in the direction of the twins' room before glancing at EDI who has a small smile on her face as she watches Shepard before finally looking back at Joker.

"I'm doing good Joker. For the first time since probably before Eden Prime I'm finally doing good."

Shepard smiles, and a tear rolls down her face as she realizes the truth of the statement.

"I really am doing good..."


	7. Old Friends

Shepard sat on on the bed in silence looking around as she waits for Liara. She waited in the captain's quarters. The chambers were largely unchanged apart from a much more finished look to the construction, gone were the hanging cables on the ceiling. On the desk near the bed were a pair of N7 helmets. One a little worn for the wear but otherwise intact. The other was practically half melted. A large part of the left side of the helmet's structure was missing, the texture of the helmet that remained showing it had been grazed by a powerful energy blame. Shepard sat on the bed studying it for a time before her gaze shifted. Where she had once had a wide variety of ships only a few remained, the rest of the space occupied by other objects now. The original and current Normandy remained but all the others were gone. In their places were pieces of the armor Shepard had been wearing upon her first death during the Collector attack. To her surprise she even recognized the pieces that Legion had worn, the thought of the Geth who had become her friend and granted unto his people true conscious individual thought brought a sad smile to her lips.

She looked up with a smile though as Liara entered into the cabin. Liara had a smile of her own on her face.

"Well I've contacted everyone sending them the messages. Everyone should be here tomorrow. I didn't tell them why, just said it was important. I figure we should have a bit of fun. Don't worry I asked EDE to be ready just incase we have anymore people fainting from the surprise."

Shepard smirks and smiles. Although panic and been her reaction when she had seen Joker fainting from the surprise of seeing Shepard alive, the memory had become quite amusing in the hour since.

"That would probably be a good idea." She said in agreement before gesturing at the armor on display. "Is that my armor that Legion was wearing?"

Liara nods in conformation before explaining.

"After the war the geth approached me offering it. They knew I already had some of it, and they thought it would be best if what remained of your armor was kept in a complete set."

Shepard gives a silent nod and shrug. "Must have happened before I contacted them.." Her gaze shifts to Liara, who in turn knew well that look. Shepard strides towards Liara and without hesitation and kisses Liara deeply as she moves the two towards the bed. As they descend onto the bed Liara pulls away slightly, just enough to whisper.

"Embrace Eternity"

-

The following day Shepard awoke early in the morning. She could feel Liara curled around her. Smiling softly at the memory of the memorable night before she slowly got out of bed while not waking Liara. A quick shower later Shepard quietly dressed. The wardrobe was filled with Liara's clothes of course but a few of Shepard's clothes as well as her uniform were still in storage.

She emerged out onto deck three a minute later attired in shoes, pants, and a shirt, over which she wore her old N7 hoodie. She headed to the kitchen area and taking a quick look at the supplies inside began cooking dinner. Perhaps a half hour later the smell of eggs and bacon were filling the deck as Shepard looked up at the ceiling of the ship. "EDE?" She asked aloud to the ship. EDE's response came quickly just like it always had.

"Yes Shepard?"

"Would you wake Jeff and Liara and tell them that breakfast is cooked. If they don't get their butts moving quick enough I am no way responsible if there's nothing left."

EDI chuckles lightly. "Of course Shepard."

Turning Shepard walks towards her daughters' room. She steps inside smiling at seeing the two still sound asleep in bed. She calls out to the girls softly as her hand moves past a sensor on the wall, bringing the lights up enough that the girl's could see without being harsh on their eyes.

"Girls? Time to wake up. Breakfast is ready."

The two young asari twins wake instantly, and for the second time inside twenty-four hours Shepard finds herself being bowled over by the two tiny asari girls. After several minutes of nonstop hugging in which the girls had refused to let go of her under any condition Shepard finally managed to get the girls to let go by reminding them that if they kept it up Joker would eat all the food. The two girls headed to their room's bathroom while Shepard headed out and back to the dining area. Joker was already seated and wolfing down the food and coffee while EDE fussed over his appearance and reminded him to take his medications.

Joker looked up at Shepard with a smile as he saw her approach as did EDI, Joker was however the first to speak. "Sheesh Shepard. For having dead for yen years and not needing food you cook pretty good eggs."

Shepard laughs and shrugs in agreement before grabbing a plate of her own. A moment later she piles it high with food and with a cup of coffee of her own and takes a seat just as Liara emerges from the elevator. She laughs as she gets into view seeing Shepard and Joker both packing away the food. Within a minute more the two young girls emerged from their own room and within a few minutes more they were all gathered around the table. The girls sat on both sides of Shepard having refused to sit anywhere else. Liara had surrendered her seat to Shepard without argument having had plenty of closeness during the night. A half hour later Shepard is washing the dishes with her girls helping while Liara, Jeff, and EDE all plan on how to reintroduce Shepard to the crew that would soon be arriving.

There plans were quickly called to a halt as they heard the elevator opening and the sound of voices from those that emerged. All those already gathered apart from EDE had looks of surprise on their face. EDE just had a smug look of satisfaction on as she looked at Liara.

"After the fun you had with me last night I figured I'd have a little of my own on you. I told the others to arrive earlier."

Liara glared at EDEI with a playful look to her eye. True she had been looking forward to surprising the crew all at once, but the main point of gathering them all together was Shepard. Shepard freezes in the middle of playing with her daughters, both of who had climbed their way up onto her upper body and were hanging from her their arms wrapped her neck and arms. The trio freeze as they see Garrus and Tali walk into view, followed quickly by Grunt and Wrex.

Tali, was without her helmet, the sight of which surprised Shepard although in hindsight she knew she shouldn't have been considering how strengthened the Quarian immune systems had become with the help of the the geth. The two of them as well as Wrex and Grunt behind them freeze and for a moment the room is dead silent. The silence is broken by Wrex first after a few seconds as he moves to the side of Garrus to get a better look at Shepard. With a slight curve of his mouth in a smirk he speaks. While Shepard's face morphs into smile at the sight of her old crew.

"Shepard"

"Wrex"


	8. Promotion

Earth in the ten years wince the Reaper War had become a very multi-cultural world in regards to the other alien cultures and civilizations of the galaxy. With the Citadel now in orbit over the planet this was to some degree an inevitable reaction. Still while humans might control the political government both on the planet and with the Alliance. Outside of military and political avenues the planet was fast becoming a mixing pot of alien cultures amidst human. Restaurants, schools, art galleries and stores of all types had opened over the years owned by humans and aliens alike. And so it was without surprise that when an emergency broadcast on the Alliance News Network was broadcast, other key communications networks picked up the story as well, networks that broadcast the message in languages other than just the human ones.

The bulletin that flashed across and caught the eyes of billions not only on the planet but on the citadel as well and quickly after the entire galaxy was that Shepard was alive once again.

Diana Allers was one of many show hosts that night to comment on Shepard's sudden reappearance after ten years of silence during which she had been declared dead. Shepard along with Wrex, Garrus, Tali, Liara, and the girls along with Jeff and EDI watched the broadcast from the Normandy at the dining table watching the displays show the show as they listened quietly to the reports.

"And As has just been recently confirmed by Alliance top Brass, Commander Shepard is confirmed as alive. The current whereabouts of the Commander have been unknown but earlier today a message was sent to Alliance headquarters from the Commander. After inquiries apparently made by top brass the claim has been confirmed. Again we say, Commander Shepard is back."

Shepard smirked while the two girls sitting in her lap looked up at her quietly Benezia being the first of the two to speak after the broadcast was over. "You're famous dad." She says in the innocent manner of a child. Shepard chuckles as do all the others who were still aboard after the arrival of all the old crew earlier through the day.

"I know Nezzy, I know."

Smiling she hugged her girls close. Although it had been just under twenty four hours since she had met the girls in person for the first time they had already fully acclimated to her as if she had been there for their entire lives the past nine years. The unconditional love and trust was touching and apparent to all those around EDE however breaks the moment by addressing the group.

"We have an Alliance dreadnought inbound as well as a message. Admiral Hackett is aboard and he wishes to come over so he can speak to you Shepard."

Those gathered around look at one another as they try and gauge just what the purpose of such a visit would be. With a calm smile Shepard shifts the girls off of her lap. "You all stay here. I'll go talk to him and we'll see what's up shall we?"

With a kiss on the head of each of the girls and a casual wave of goodbye she heads towards the elevator. She reaches deck two which is devoid of anyone else but only has to wait for a minute or two before she can hear the airlock cycling near the cockpit. A moment later Admiral Hackett in full dress uniform steps out and turns to look and watch Shepard.

Shepard speaks first coming to attention and delivering a smart salute with military precision. Although in casual civilian attire, her N7 hoodie the only remotely military thing she was wearing the aura of command she naturally exuded at all times more than made up for the difference. Hacket in turn comes to attention salutes. After dropping his salute he slowly walks towards Shepard.

"Well Shepard I must certainly say this is good news that you're back, although I'm not quite sure how to take what you said in your message to me earlier about you controlling the reapers. That's a tough bit to swallow. Still I'm more than glad that you're back."

Shepard gives a noncommittal shrug unsure of what to really say in response.

"It is the truth Admiral. The crucible killed me but in the process turned me into a sort of AI controlling them. It's more than a little complicated to explain. I've been the one directing the reapers for the past ten years, I'm also the one responsible for talking the Geth into allying with my fleet. I needed ground troops for my offensives and they were the only ones who could really understand my situation the best. As to why I didn't make contact I only just recently finished making this body. It would have been more than a little awkward trying to explain it in any other manner without it."

Hacket holds up a hand stopping Shepard before he responds.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me Shepard I trust you. Although I'd prefer if we keep the whole reaper details between us, you coming back for a second time is going to cause enough headlines with the media as it is. I'm here about something else I'd like to discuss with you.

Shepard looks at Hacket curiously for a moment before responding.

"Alright Admiral what is it?"

-

Perhaps half an hour later Shepard emerges from the elevator back down on deck three after finishing her discussion with Hacket. Garrus looks over at her as she walks towards them, he studies Shepard's expression of mild confusion and surprise but waits for Shepard to take a seat before speaking.

"Alright Shepard what did Hacket want?" Garrus asks her, voicing the question the whole group was obviously thinking.

Shepard gives a noncommittal facial expression of mild confusion before responding.

"He reinstated me and made me an Admiral."

At that the eyes of everyone around the table widen visibly in surprise. Garrus who leans back in his seat shrugs.

"Makes sense. He knows from your message that you control the reapers now. He probably wants you inside the chain of command so you're not a wild card on the table."

Shepard shrugs in response. "True but that doesn't explain the promotion, he could have done that just with reinstating me to Commander."

Wrex spoke right on Shepard's heels the group looking at him as they listened.

"It probably has nothing to do with the reapers Shepard, you're a symbol to the whole galaxy and everyone in it. My people are damn near fanatical regarding you. I wouldn't be surprised if in a century or two they start worshiping you as a god, especially now that you've beaten death twice. It's not like you can blame them either even if they are a little crazy about it. You're a symbol to the entire galaxy. Hacket's probably just working to capitalize on any political points to be made out of this. I'm sure the other council races will probably be following up with their own gestures soon as well."

Around the table heads nod in agreement. Shepard looks down at the two girls who had crawled back onto her lap and smiles at seeing them asleep. She quietly says good night to the others who start to get up to leave as well saying their own goodbyes for the day. Shepard meanwhile carries his girls to their bedroom and tucks them each into bed. After giving them each a kiss on the head she turns off the lights and walks out the door which closes silently behind her.


	9. Proposal

Shepard and Liara strolled quietly through the memorial park on earth. Behind them a large group of reporters and other observers were being held back at a distance by a contingent of armed krogan who were while not delivering any serious injuries, still making clear the message that the newly appointed Admiral had little interest in dealing with them. Still despite the obvious krogan bodyguards people continued to home in on Shepard all week long. Liara glanced back as did Shepard for a moment at hearing a fight breaking out between one of the reporters and a krogan. The both of them smirk at seeing the easy way in which the krogan handled the human reporter. A few seconds later Liara looked at Shepard.

"I suppose we should be glad the Guard is around shouldn't we? If they weren't that would be you and I don't think you'd be holding back like they are."

The two share a quiet laugh while Shepard gives a shrug and smile in response before giving Liara a soft kiss. In truth the group of Krogan which served as a sort of honor guard for Shepard had come out of nowhere demanding that they be allowed to protect her. Shepard had initially been inclined to say no until Wrex had filled her in on a few facts regarding the group. Facts such as they had organized themselves years ago in the aftermath of the Genophage cure. Back on Tuchanka they had approached Wrex requesting official sanction of their group but making it clear that they would continue even without it. Wrex after inspecting their members and organization had actually been impressed by the level of military discipline that the leaders within the group had instilled. The fanatical nature of the warriors regarding Shepard's existence had quelled the typical Krogan actions resulting in a combination of the sheer deadliness of Krogan in battle, with the reliability often found in the soldiers of other species. In truth a rather deadly combination. Even their name was a homage to Shepard as they called themselves the Shepard Guard.

And so Shepard had taken to using them to keep the reporters at bay whenever with business on earth. They had no presence aboard the Normandy itself, instead staying aboard one of the new Krogan war cruisers that had been built during the military build up following the Genophage cure to help build infrastructure back on Tuchanka.

Shepard turned her gaze away from the Krogan warriors who were keeping their own tempers in check along with the reporters, instead Shepard focuses on Liara and for the first time in a while feels uncertainty in her intent. Normally even when uncertain of her actions she wore an iron emotionless mask to hide her fear and uncertainty from those around her. During times of combat such emotions were highly infectious and could easily result in death. But here in such a tranquil place she was out of her normal environment. Looking away for a second before Liara could get a look at her emotions in her eyes she slips a hand into her pocket.

Liara however caught the emotion from early on. It was such a strange one to see on Shepard. Gently she places her hand on Shepard's face and turns it back to face her. She gives a comforting smile hoping to reinforce whatever was causing Shepard's nervousness.

"Shepard? What's the matter? I can tell when you are uncertain about something. Just tell me what it is."

Shepard looks her in the eyes hesitating a few moments longer before sighing and steeling her nerves. She gets down on one knee in front of Liara taking one of her hands in one of her own.

"Liara, you've always been there for me, even the first time I died you saved me."

Liara smiles softly. "Only fair considering the number of times you've saved me."

Shepard smiles a bit herself at the thought before continuing. "I wanted to do this so much ten years ago before it was too late but in the end things didn't work out quite the way anyone had planned so..."

She takes a breath before pulling a small box from her pocket. She takes Liara's hand and presses it into her hand. Liara's eyes widen as she realizes just what Shepard is up to, as well as the source of Shepard's hesitation. A tear of joy runs down the side of her face as she opens the box and sees the ring. Her eyes instantly shift to Shepard's.

"Liara T'soni. Will you marry me?"

Liara snaps the box shut in her hand as she descends upon Sheppard giving the woman she loved what quite possibly could be the most ardent kiss she had yet. When the two finally come up for air Shepard whispers to her a smile on her face.

"I take it that means yes?"

Liara enfolds Shepard in a hug, her arms wrapping around the woman, while Shepard's own return the motion enfolding the asari she loved. Liara leans in close to whisper into Shepard's ear.

"Yes."


	10. Marriage

London was alive with activity. The city's skies, filled with shuttles and transports even at the best of times was jam packed as people from throughout the galaxy gathered there. Hundreds had been invited but there was no doubt that the attendance would be in the millions. For today was the day of the wedding of the galaxy's hero returned from the dead not once but twice. No structure on earth could possibly have held the expected crowds and so instead an outdoor wedding in the memorial park that dominated London had been planned. Dignitaries and guests from across the galaxy had been pouring in for weeks. Living accommodations all throughout Earth's entire western hemisphere had become strained and everything else about the event was a logistical nightmare. Planning the final assault on Earth with all the fleets entailed had required less preparation than this event. While the event was one of happiness and joy security forces of both the alliance and the council were on full alert. Contingents of both Alliance personnel as well as C-Sec had been called in to handle security and crowd control.

The wedding itself was to be a curious affair. It existed as an amalgamation of human and Asari wedding customs that had been hotly contested over by the two individuals to be married. Neither side had refused to back down and in the end a compromise ceremony had been decided on.

Shepard watched through a window from the hotel that had been taken over by the wedding party near the park, the hotel would serve as both the preparations area for the wedding as well as the private reception after. Paparazzi and reporters down below in the street caught sight of her and the sight of flashes from omni-tool imagers caused her to turn away looking over at her gathered groomsman. Wrex, Joker, Jacob, Grunt, and James. Garrus would serve in the place of Best Man. The lot of them were dressed in exquisitely fashioned formal outfits for the non humans designed to give the image of human tuxedos. The human members of the party stood in actual tuxedos. Shepard herself stood in her admiral dress uniform. Of the group Wrex and Grunt both looked decidedly uncomfortable about the fashion choice but neither of them said so much as a whisper of complaint, for fear of possibly damaging Shepard's festive and happy mood. Shepard herself was a bit on the jittery side with nervousness. Garrus however was quickly there to calm her nerves just like he had in any number of combat missions that they had been through together.

In an entirely separate level of the hotel the brides party consisted of Liara herself, Miranda, Ashley, Jack, Samara, and EDI. With Tali taking the posting of Maid of Honor. The group were dressed in garb of pure white. Even Jack had donned a formal dress although she looked just as uncomfortable in it as in the other part of the hotel did Wrex and Grunt. Matriarch Aetheta and retired Admiral Hannah Shepard rounded out the group. Liara herself stood while the bridesmaids did last minute checks on her dress, she smirked as they worked as she heard several of the krogan guards outside the closed door to the suite refusing to allow reporters entry. For her own dress it was a pure white asari style dress. Like many of the other hotly argued subjects of the wedding she had wanted a tradition white human dress, Shepard on the other hand had wanted something that would be used in a traditional Asari ceremony, and in the end like most of the other matters they had compromised. She had managed to force Shepard to accept a concession of allowing the white veil to remain as a part of the outfit.

The other members where also all dressed in white, in Tali's case a white suit environmental suit of traditional quarian style. She would unfortunately be forced to wear her helmet through the ceremony, with so many guests there was no way to be certain her strengthened immune system would be able to withstand everything it would otherwise be exposed to. However the usual purple faceplate had been replaced with a greyish silver one so as to be in keeping with the rest of the outfits.

Finally though the hour appointed came and the two separate parties made their way to their ready positions. Shepard was quickly hustled along by her party so as not to see her bride before the appointed time. Liara had insisted on an old human tradition that the groom not be allowed to see the bride. Still eventually Shepard was out standing on the low raised platform that the ceremony would be conducted on. For the ceremony itself Admiral Hackett, Kolyat Krios, along with Primarch Victus would all speak. As for the actual act of marriage the Asari councilor Tevos would do the actual bonding.

Shepard stood quietly up on the platform. At her back near behind her stood her party. In the darkness of the hotel's entrance she could see the shapes above the heads of the crowd, which were for the most part all standing for a lack of area to sit, she make out the shapes of the bride's party but couldn't make out Liara. She turned to look back behind her as she heard the first chords of music from the full scale multi-species orchestra behind the platform. She let the sounds of the music wash over her closing her eyes for a moment letting herself be lost in the growing volume of the rhythms. It is only when Garrus leans close behind her and whispers to her that she comes back to the present and sees Kolyat approaching, he was dressed in the reserved gray apparel of a Drell priest.

As Kolyat reached the platform he turned giving a nod to Shepard before moving to the podium. The crowd quieted as he moved up to it while behind the platform the orchestra decreased in volume and then went silent as their musical piece came to an end. Kolyat cleared his throat and began.

"Travelers from far and near. We are gathered to witness and celebrate the bonding between two individuals who have met as the stars of their lives have crossed paths. We witness now the depths of their love as they bond to each other forever. We are gathered to witness their union beneath the watchful gaze of the Goddess and the ancestors that have proceeded us. Their bond is unbreakable and unyielding and together forever after this day shall they be.

Their first meeting was upon a world hidden in the stars. Captive was one, but the other sought her out. She persevered liberating her bondmate from captivity and together they journeyed the stars side by side. Gathered behind the bondmate are those who would stand with her declaring her worthiness to be bonded what say you?"

Kolyat turns looking at Shepard's companions and is nearly rocked from the stage, only by grabbing to the podium does he remain steady as the shout from all those gathered behind Shepard, particularly Wrex and Grunt roars out.

"SHE IS WORTHY!"

The cry of declaration echoes across the entire gathered millions. Even inside the hotel where transmitted audio is necessary to hear the words being spoken, do the natural sound of the roars themselves reach. Kolyat regains his position and continues. Shepard for her part despite the deafening roar of the collected shouts stands rock still, on her face an emotionless expression much like one she uses in battle, beneath she was jittery and nervous but her iron will allowed none of it to show and she remained as steady as a rock while Kolyat continued.

"The bondmate is a warrior of the stars, proven as valiant and strong capable of carrying and protecting her bondmate, her actions have proven as such. But in order to prove her worthiness a witness of her character must be called forth. One of neutral party who has been aided by the bondmate." Kolyat looks back at Shepard. "Bondmate who do you call forth to stand as your witness?"

Shepard looks at Kolyat before taking a step forward and speaking loudly. "I summon forth as my witness Adrian Victus of Palaven as my witness of character."

Shepard takes a step back as audio transceivers carry her words throughout the crowd so that all can hear them. At the front sitting next to Hacket, the turian primarch stands. He is dressed for his role in full Turian dress uniform. He ascends the platform and moves to stand at Shepard's side offering her a reassuring smile as he does before turning and facing Kolyat. Kolyat turns his gaze from Shepard to Victus.

"Will you stand with her and attest as to her character in which the manner she proved herself to you?"

Victus takes a step forward and stands smartly at attention. Before calling out a loud. "I will."

Kolyat steps to the side allowing Victus to make his way to the podium while he speaks to Victus in response reciting the lines that all attendant had memorized well.

"Then attest to her character that those gathered as well as the Goddess and the ancestors may judge her worthy."

Victus took only a moment to ready himself while from the crowd there came a short period of quiet mutter as well as a flurry of flashes from omni-tool imagers capturing the image of the turian primarch standing there.

"The bondmate who stands here today came to the aid of not just me. Not even just my planet and my people, but came to the aid of the entire galaxy. Her character is attested as such. In a time when fear ran through all species of the galaxy she stood strong and united us all behind a cause. She stood not just for her kin, nor even for her species, but for all species. When offered choices that would sacrifice millions she chose the hard path that instead saved as many as she could. She journeyed and fought without fear or hesitation fighting for all those within these stars. Her enemies came from beyond the stars of this galaxy themselves and though we were naught but insects to them she stood firm. Against the wave of their terror she mastered not only her own fear but ours as well. She lead us through her actions and through her character into a new age where all can live peacefully.

Her character is one that inspires not only herself to rise to greatness but all those around her. To believe that no matter how dark the storm there is a day shinning beyond it. She is a beacon that leads us through the darkest of nights reminding us that compassion, strength, and justice are values we must all embrace. She has held the lives of billions in her hands and in those hands they have remained safe. She knows the value of the lives of the few as well as the lives of the many. She is worthy."

Though it was uncalled for by the script to the ceremony behind her the gathered party lead yet again by Wrex and Grunt shout again echoing Victus's last words. The Turian at the podium casts a bemused grin back at those gathered Krogan before turning back to the crowd.

"Her companions vouch for her so. Yet it is not just they, every person that lives not just on this planet but on all the stars of the skies can attest to her character. The character of one worthy to be a bondmate."

Turning Victus steps away and heading down back towards his seat Kolyat moves back towards the podium but not before a wave of cheering and applause spreads across the gathered millions at the words spoken by the Turian primarch. Up on the stage a single tear of joy and appreciation at Victus's words rolls down the side of Shepard's face. Kolyat back once more at the podium speaks once more.

"The bondmate's character has been attested and proven, but now it should be known to the ancestors and the Goddess the bondmate's history." Kolyat turns again to Shepard. "Bondmate, who do you call to attest your history?"

Shepard takes a step forward before calling out once again to the crowd, this time calling a different name. "I call forth Stephen Hackett of Earth to recount my history."

Shepard yet again takes a step back as from the front row of the seated part of the audience the aged and grizzled human admiral stands and begins making his way up to the podium. He stops near it and studies Kolyat with his usual quiet gaze while Kolyat turns and adresses him. "Will you recount the deeds and history of the bondmate who stands here?"

Hackett raises his voice so that the audio carriers can spread it out to the crowd. "I will." He turns and looks at Shepard and adds more quietly. "It will be my honor."

Turning Hackett steps up to the podium and begins to speak.

"The bondmate who stands before us today is Admiral Catherine Shepard. A proud member of the Alliance military. She was born in the stars. Her parents like her members of the same military. They like her also served. However fate took from her, her father when she was still young. Her mother, like her, a person I am honored to call my friend continued to both serve and raise her. When she came of age she enlisted and served with distinction and status for many years. The story of her actions at Elysium are no doubt well known to many if not all of you here. Eventually the time would come when she would be named a Specter of the Citadel Council. The first Human to be such. Though she served as both Specter and an officer she succeeded and honored both uniforms she wore. We all know the events of the attack on the Citadel by the Reaper Sovereign thirteen years ago along with its indoctrinated puppet, the former Specter Saren. Shepard lead the fight against both although many doubted her, and through her efforts they were defeated. Shortly after she gave her life while out on mission. She died ensuring that those beneath her command would live.

However fate determined her life was not yet done. She was brought back by the organization known as Cerberus. And though eventually she would turn and defeat them once it became apparent that their goals did not align with those of the rest of the galaxy, for a time she worked with them so that she could vanquish the threat of the Collectors, who served as puppets of the Reapers. Assembling a team she lead them through the dreaded Omega Four Relay and returned after the Collectors had taken from her the crew of her ship. However she did not simply return with all of those that had traveled with her, but she also destroyed the Collector home-world ending their threat to the galaxy. In addition she stopped the Reapers from quickly swarming the galaxy by her actions in the Bahak system. Although she attempted to warn those that lived in the system before it was too late indoctrinated agents of the Reapers prevented her from doing so, and so the system and all those who inhabited it were destroyed. But through their sacrifice, as grave as it is, did billions more live, for without her actions there the Reapers would have run throughout the galaxy unimpeded.

But there came yet time for another battle, finally now against the Reapers themselves. She fought against them and their soldiers on the moon of Palavan, Sur'Kesh, Rannoch, Tuchanka, Earth itself, and dozens of other places. As the one who spoke before me said, no matter how dark the outcome seemed she continued and persevered forging forth a path for all of us to follow. Through her actions on both Tuchanka and Rannoch were a reaper destroyed. In the end she would choose a second time to give her life but it seems that the Goddess above has blessed her and her path for yet again she is returned to us. And by her example and her deeds she shall lead us forth as we continue our march through time."

Hackett steps down from the podium and moves towards his seat once more, this time however the applause and cheering is near deafening from the gathered crowd in response to the speech. Kolyat is forced to wait almost ten minutes before at last it quieted enough for them to continue. As he resumed his part, from behind the platform the sound of the orchestra once more became heard as they began to play. Over the sound of the music Kolyat spoke his words echoed and carried across the crowd by the transceivers.

"I call forth now the other who will be bonded that at last she may be seen by the Goddess and the ancestors, as well as those gathered here."

From the hotel to podium there was a quarter mile length isle between the seated guests. Krogan guards formed a wall to each side to ensure than none of the standing spectators would block the way. Shepard could barely make out the emerging figures in the distance but she smiles as she sees her two daughters leading the way scattering flowers as they did, leading the way ahead of the party. Behind the two girls came Shepard's mother and Liara's father both side by side. Hannah was dressed in her old military dress uniform while Aetheta was dressed in the traditional uniform of an Asari commando. Both were armed with side arms at their hips. Behind them came Liara herself, dressed in white, the translucent veil covering her face as she walked, a bouquet of white roses in her hands. She herself was not armed. Behind her came the others all paired up in two's they too not armed but surrounding the party as it walked were a phalanx of Asari commandos, and bringing up the rear were two Krogan females in battle armor. The Krogans and commandos were on the other hand armed to the teeth, their weapons although specially made with a silver metallic sheen, still quite deadly.

The walk along the quarter mile corridor through the crowd was a long one taking several minutes. The sight of her bride approaching, being lead by her daughters caused Shepard to start to at last cry from the beauty of it and behind her Garrus was forced to dig out one of the several handkerchiefs he had brought with him on the off chance this situation occured. Finally though the party reached the platform and arrayed itself. The armed escort of Asari commandos and female Krogan moved off to the side while Liara and her bridesmaids moved up onto the platform and stood mirroring to Shepard. Matriarch Aetheta and the elder Admiral Shepard stood in the middle between the two groups with each standing on the side of their child. The two veteran and aged females both had teary looks to their eyes but their iron composure had yet to allow a tear through.

Finally Kolyat spoke once more and behind the platform the orchestra once again descended to silence.

"Both bondmates are now gathered here. They stand watched over by the Goddess and the ancestors. I ask of you now companions. Is their love for each other absolute, do they stand now together. To know that their love will never be separated?"

From both sides of the platform those gathered roar out the answer which echoes out over the crowd, as before Wrex and Grunt contributing the most in volume but all contributing.

"THEY ARE WORTHY OF EACH OTHER AND THE LOVE THEY HOLD!"

Both Shepard and Liara are by now fully in tears but each stands strong for each other as the beauty of the scene and the happiness they are filled with causes the tears of each to run down their faces.

Kolyat still continues to address the crowd and finally calls forth the last speaker before moving off the podium to sit now that his part is done. "I call forth Councilor Tevos to complete the bonding of these individuals. The bondmate's character and history has been testified to the Goddess, ancestors, and those gathered. It is now time."

From the front row the final person rises. Tevos. In a black and white robe of bonding much like the tuxedos of the human groomsman stands and walks towards the platform. Unlike the previous speakers upon reaching her appointed spot between Shepard and Liara she faces towards them rather than the crowd, but as before amplifiers easily carry her words out to the crowd. She looks from one to the other a reserved but nonetheless happy expression on her face as she begins.

"Catherine Shepard. Do you swear before the Goddess and the ancestors that have come before us all that you will stand by your bondmate? You will protect her and shield her from harm? You will be a foundation lifts her up and the tree beneath which she may safely rest? For all the days of your life will you care for her in sickness and health, safeguarding her life and happiness?"

Shepard smiles for a brief moment before looking at the still veiled Liara and whispering softly but still firmly. "I do."

Tevos turns her head to Liara now and it is fully apparent to Shepard and Tevos that she is crying a storm of tears, yet despite it she stands strong, strong for Shepard.

"Liara T'soni. Your bondmate has declared herself to you. Will you accept her bond and return it as your own. Will you support her in her times of trial and safeguard her in her times of need will you extend your hand to help? Will to her tree will you be the nourishing water and glowing sun extending to help keep her strong?"

Liara smiles softly as the tears continue to endlessly stream down her face. She watches through her veil Shepard, her eyes only upon the one she loves. With a smile she gives a soft but firm whisper of her own in answer.

"I do."

Tevos turns about facing the crowd and shouts out.

"The bonded have accepted each others bonds and vows. They swear to each other beneath the gaze of the Goddess and the ancestors. By such manner I declare them bonded."

Tevos steps to the side just in time to allow the crowd to view as Shepard slowly lifts the white veil and stepping close kisses Liara. Everyone gathered in both parties is teary eyed. Even the solid Wrex feels the moisture creeping although he feigns unawareness as it begins to creep its way down his scared face. As the two kiss the audience erupts into cheer and applause.


	11. Survival

The memorial park in London was awash with noise as the crowd cheered as at last the ceremony was finished. On the stage the companions relaxed although the twelve of them held their distance for a moment from the two newly weds, giving them a moment to complete the final little tradition of their own. The smirk as it nears a minute in time for the kiss between bride and groom.

The applause and cheers to the kiss as the bonding ceremony was still roaring on as Shepard and Liara came up for air. Smiling at her bride Shepard pulls a pair of simple titanium silver alloy rings, made from a part of the first Normandy, and holds them in her hand. She allows Liara to take the one sized for Shepard's own hand. Gently taking Shepard's hand in her own she slowly guides the ring onto Shepard's hand. Shepard, drying her own tears with the back of her hand in turn takes the second ring and taking Liara's hand in her own she is about to guide it onto the Asari's hand but as the ring nears Liara's finger Shepard stiffens and freezes.

Shepard's smile slowly fades as she feels the hairs on the back of her neck begin to rise, a time old signal she knew that danger was near. She spins about her eyes scanning the crowd for the imminent threat. She could tell that the Krogan and Asari guard down below could tell something was amiss, and behind her she could feel the unrest of the others on the platform. Even Liara she could tell knew something was wrong. It was not a sense that was based on concrete evidence. Simply one that had been honed by extensive time on the battlefield. Shepard had learned long ago to trust it. Her eyes finally spot the source of her discomfort but as soon as she saw it she knew it was too late.

Shepard began moving to place her body between Liara's and the newly spotted threat, turning as she did so to face Liara, a reassuring smile on her face as she tried to bring her biotic barriers up in time. The barrel of a M-98 Widow peeking its way out of one of the upper windows. Her hands move to initialize her personal barriers but by that time it was too late. The gun fires barely as she had moved between the shooter and Liara. She couldn't hear the shot over the roar of the crowd, but she did feel it slam into her back. A second explosion of pain and she knew this was worse than she had feared. Whoever was apart of this attack had not come alone. A third impact hits her, this time in the lower back. Shepard's smile fades changing to horror as she watches the third shot emerge from her lower abdomen, and slam into Liara. Two final shots impact harmlessly against Shepard's barriers.

Shepard could feel the blood quickly soaking her uniform as Liara begins to fall. Her arms reach out to catch Liara, in the process the ring in her hand falling out. Shepard ignores it, her whole mind intent on Liara, trying to catch her, trying to save her. As the bloodstains on Shepard's uniform become visible to the crowd and Liara falls pandemonium and panic become unleashed upon the gathering.

Shepard cradling Liara her hand on the wound trying to stop the bloodflow before it became to late, in the process ignoring her own wounds. A noise and flash to the side catches her attention and her fear deepens. From one side she saw guns firing, and old familiar, yellow and white armored soldiers forcing their way through. A sound from the other side of the crowd and she can make out the shapes and armor of Batarians and a few Krogan as well as some Vorcha forcing their way through the crowd towards the platform, their uniforms identifying them easily as the Blood Pack.

Shepard's voice carries over the panic and the roar as the leader within her knows that if they were all to survive they would need to act immediately.

"Barriers now!" She roars out to the biotics on the platform. Jack, Samara, Jacob, Miranda, even Matriarch Aetheta all shield the group with barriers while Shepard watches her Krogan guards along with the Asari commandos attempt to make their way to the attackers. Shepard looks back towards EDI. "EDI you've got the most medical training, stop her bleeding, keep her alive, Grunt get to the girls, protect them, the rest of you with me!"

The snipers unable to penetrate the combined barriers now guarding the platform instead turn to the Krogan and Asari guards, downing many before they can even get close to the attackers on either side. Shepard ignoring her blood soaked uniform, knowing she could survive much worse with her upgrades, leads the charge down from the platform scooping up a M-96 Mattock Raising the rifle up and slapping in a fresh scavenged thermal clip she takes aim with the rifle and starts popping off shots at the snipers in the building. Behind her she can hear the others grabbing weapons from downed soldiers and guards and retaliating against their attackers.

The battle became chaos as both attackers and attacked were able to make little headway through the dense and panicked crowd. Shepard's bleeding had stopped by the time that the rockets from both sides start racing out from both attacking sides, erupting amidst the crowd or heading towards the platform to detonate against the shield. Shepard glances back at one point to see Liara up on her feet turn strips of one of the dresses about her body to form an impromptu bandage, as she lead the charge of the biotic's towards one of the flanks, but her stomach bottoms out as she sees her barriers falter for a moment and a rocket explode just ahead of her location. Shepard looses sight of her in the explosion and unable to tear her eyes from the scene only pulls herself back to focus as a Krogan in armor charges at her. Tears of grief and rage run down her face as around one of her hands biotic energy begins to coalesce. The hand forming to a fist she slams it into her charging enemy's helmet, the force of the blow and biotic power shattering the helmet and the skull of her attacker beneath it.

As she slowly rises to stand once more after her attack from behind her eyes faint silver light begins to dimly shine, light emanating from her reaper implants. The eyes filled with the emotions of grief and anger scan the battlefield, spotting enemy gunships inbound on the horizon. Closing them for a moment her mind reaches out, and in orbit far above a Reaper destroyer begins to descend towards the atmosphere.

Shepard and the others continue to fight, the battle now become a close quarter fight as the attackers and attack finally close with one another en-mass. The Mattock long since run out of clips she uses simply to bash in the skulls of her enemy while around her she can hear her friends and allies doing the same. The enemy gunship arriving on scene is only able to make a single pass across the battlefield firing at enemy and foe alike as it passes. From the sky at last descends the reaper, drawing the eyes of all on the battlefield as it does. The destroyer's eye, the same silver as Shepard's implants, fixates on the gunship. It touches down shaking the ground as it does, Shepard careful that it did not crush any bystanders, in the park and from its main gun the old familiar red beam of energy fires forth ripping apart the gunship. The destroyer makes its way towards the crowd and at last the battle begins to end as it takes up a position ready to fire on any that resist..

The destroyer at their backs, reinforcing them the survivors of the guards and newly arrived security forces begin to capture the few remaining attackers, most of whom surrender quietly without resistance. Shepard meanwhile frantically begins to head towards where she last saw Liara before the explosion.


	12. Wounded

Shepard moves through wounded and dead scattered about as she moves as quickly as she can towards where she had last seen her wife before Liara had become obscured from view by the explosion during the battle. Around her the wounded cry out for help but the pleas for help have as little effect on the frantic combatant as they do the Reaper destroyer that still towers over the battlefield ensuring that none of the attackers resist. The few surviving attackers are being arrested and taken away by armored Alliance marines and a few contingents of C-Sec that had been in London to assist with crowd control. Of the nearly three hundred attackers involved in the assault on the wedding less than than sixty had survived their assault, and in all likelihood half of those being taken into custody wouldn't survive their injuries long enough to give any useful intel.

Shepard herself was soaked in blood her uniform a shredded mess with multiple stab and bullet wounds as well as more than a fair share of bruises showing on the parts of her body where the admiral's dress uniform had been torn away, but she ignores it all. Her implants had already stopped the bleeding and staved off the worst of the injuries. Although horrendous to look at she knew she would survive, but it was not for herself that her fear and worry existed.

Shepard finally spotted a few of the old Normandy crew as well as one of the paramedic's that had begun making their way to the location. Her heart stops for a second as the emotion hits her as she finally can see her wife. Liara lay unmoving on the ground. Her body was a bloody mess. Around her abdomen the torn dress that had been made into an impromptu bandage to stop the blood was gone and a mass of medigel had been slathered over the bullet wound. The rest of her body was bloody and Shepard could see a great many wounds where shrapnel created by the explosion of the rocket had slammed into her. An obscure corner of her brain knew that the worst wound Liara had was the bullet wound but the sight of seeing her love, there like that drove rational thought from her mind.

She began sprinting forward shoving members of the crew and other soldiers out of the way in her panic and hurry. She finally gets to Liara, collapsing to her knees beside her wife her face streaming with tears. She takes Liara's hand in her own holding it tightly as she pleads with the unconscious Liara begging for her to pull through. In the end only the combined effort of the friends around her manage to get Shepard to let go of her wife so that the paramedics can take her away. Shepard's vision though blurred through the tears can make out Garrus, Tali, and Wrex around her, Aetheta, and Shepard's own mother going with Liara to the hospital to watch over her.

As she clears her eyes and looks at those around her as with Liara gone her panic starts to subside and reason resumes control once again she sees the others wounded as well. Garrus like Liara had been near the rocket when it had exploded and had been peppered by fragmentation, still apart from that and a few cuts and grazes he was fine and not in need of any serious medical attention. Tali had several suit punctures from bullets. Years ago that would have signaled an almost certain death but she was already being pulled away to be looked at by medical personnel. Wrex looked the worst of the three with the entire right side of his face seemingly ripped away in addition to a multitude of gruesome wounds covering his body. Even without medical personnel to tell her, Shepard knew Wrex likely wouldn't see out of his right eye ever again even with Krogan regenerative abilities accounted for. Still the aged Krogan offered not so much a noise of complaint due to his wounds or the pain and Shepard knew that he had gone through worse than she during the battle. Taking a deep breath she calms her nerves somewhat and slowly rises to her feet looking around at those gathered around her around her giving them a silent but firm nod before turning about to look out upon the battlefield.

Garrus and Wrex accompanied Shepard as she began to search the battlefield for her daughters. As they made their way through the crowds of wounded they passed countless dead, laid out so that any loved ones would be able to find them. They passed long lines of wounded who waited to be looked at by emergency personnel. Even with more and more emergency responders flooding the scene the amount of dead and wounded was staggering. Millions had been in attendance for the wedding and during the battle had been caught in the middle of the battle. The casualties had needless to say been very high. Finally though Shepard caught sight of her girls and though the two looked shell shocked from what they had just been through it was a relief to Shepard's mind that the two looked like they didn't have so much as a scratch on them.

Her breath caught itself as she caught sight of Grunt lying on the ground nearby a few more of the old crew gathered round quietly. Samara, Miranda, and Jack stood quietly around the Krogan soldier as he lay on the ground. EDI stood off to the side nearby looking over the girls quietly a sad expression to her face. Shepard knew as she looked at Grunt that he had literally minutes left to his life if that. The multiple armored blood pack soldiers scattered around the area gave easy testament to the cause of the young Krogan soldier's fatal wounds and Shepard hurried to him. Garrus, Wrex, and Shepard gathered around their dying friend tears in their eyes, even a single tear coming from Wrex for the young Grunt. Shepard crouched down beside the young Krogan and took his hands in her own. There was nothing more that she or anyone else could do apart from simply ensuring that he did not die alone.

A few minutes pass and the last breath escapes from the Krogan's chest. Shepard's edge of control begins to fade once again as she is forced to endure the old familiar fate of having ordered a soldier to his death. No matter how many people she had lost over the years the wound it dealt to her every time was just as painful as the first. Just as fresh and raw to her heart. Slowly staggering to her feet and pushing her way slowly through the few remaining gathered crew who hadn't been taken away to be looked over she makes her ways to her daughters.

Eventually she slumps down next to them enfolding them in her arms, drawing comfort from their presence, from the knowledge that Grunt had given his life to ensure that Hannah and Benezia would have their lives. Hannah quickly embraces her father, ignoring the drying blood just clinging to the comfort her father gave. Shepard looked down at Benezia when she didn't immediately embrace her like Hannah. It is only then that she notices Benezia's unmoving eyes and her heart is once again ripped to shreds as she hears her daughter's words.

"Dad? Is that you? I can't see. I can't see you."


	13. Emotion

Shepard sits on a chair as a doctor examines Benezia. Shepard is an emotionless hollow version of her normal self. She had been through war and seen things no one should ever have to see and endured, but the sight of first Liara being taken away by medics, and now Benezia's unmoving eyes had rocked her to her core. Her eyes were empty gazing away into the distance as she watches a military doctor examine Benezia. The trio were in one of the emergency shelters that had quickly been erected to help deal with the wounded. Medical personnel military and civilian had been brought in and now were triaging the wounded so that the priority cases could be sent to the hospitals. As the doctor turns away, a young military lieutenant with the alliance fleet, she looks up slightly.

Shepard's own clothes had been changed out for basic military service uniform, her dress uniform had likely by now already been taken to an incinerator. The uniform was one of her old ones but despite the clean clothes her wounds beneath were still fresh and the blood still upon her skin although dry now. Her mind although now powerful beyond understanding had been rocked to its core. Her emotional guard had been down and so the wounds caused that day had struck deep. Still she looks up at the young doctor a weary expression on her face and she realized he had been talking to her.

"... so basically there's no physical damage, the blindness is simply an attribute of witnessing what she saw earlier, physically there is no reason for her to remain blind. However so long as she is recovering from the mental trauma there is no way of accurately determining how long this blindness might last." The doctor gives a helpless shrug before moving towards Shepard. "Admiral you really should have your wounds looked at."

"I'm fine." Shepard mutters as she rubs her face with her hands. The doctor though remains obviously skeptical of that statement and moves to in front of Shepard. "Admiral you have repeatedly been shot and received..."

Shepard looks up at the young soldier glaring at him with an unusual harshness to her gaze and dangerous edge to her voice that for her almost never existed. "I'm fine."

The lieutenant hesitates but seeing the dangerous expression in the eyes that moments before had been the eyes of a broken soldier quickly hurries out leaving Shepard and Benezia alone in the shelter. Shepard watches him leave before slowly getting up, her body stiff from the wounds and moves over to Bennezia sitting on the edge of an examination table. Sitting next to her daughter she wraps her arm around the young Asari girl, finding comfort in her sitting next to her. Benezia in turn wraps her own arms around her father and the two embrace drawing strength from the presence of each other. Eventually Benezia speaks. "Where is mom?"

The simple question draws tears to Shepard's eyes as the image of Liara being taken away by the medics once again flashes in front of her eyes once more. Hesitating for a moment she finally looks down at her daughter. "She's at the hospital. The medics took her away a while ago."

Shepard can feel Benezia shiver in fear of the thought. The next question just as the one before brings more tears to the eyes. "Is she hurt?"

The question like the one before is like a stab of a blade to Shepard's still raw and fresh emotional wounds. Her voice growing weaker and a quiver adding to it for a moment. "Yes."

Shepard can feel one of Benezia's tears dripping down from the girl's face and onto Shepard's hand and the room is quiet for a second only a few noises now and again from outside filling the void. "Will she be okay?"

Shepard is silent for a long time after that question. It was a question she wanted to so badly say yes to but in her mind she knew that to that question she didn't have an answer. In the end she does nothing but remain silent. The silence is her answer Benezia, who now beside her, openly begins crying quietly. Shepard wraps her arms around her daughter pulling her up onto her lap and holds her close, doing the only thing she can to help her daughter. And it was that inability to help despite all her power, knowledge, and strength that caused her to be so weary of mind. She controlled the most powerful fleet in the galaxy,possessed the accumulated knowledge of thousands of intergalactic civilizations, and despite it all there was nothing she could do to help her crying daughter.

-

Night had fallen outside the hospital. Shepard awoke from sleep in the hospital room that Liara was in. Liara was in a hospital bed, IV's were embedded into her arms and large parts of her skin were still covered in medi-gel. Shepard had remained in the hospital refusing under any condition to leave. In the end she had sent the girls back to the Normandy with Jeff and EDI. It would be the first night since she had met the girls six months previously that she had not tucked them into the beds but the thought of leaving Liara's side was not one she could endure. She sits up from her slumped over position laying on the edge of Liara's bed and gently pulls her Liara's.

Shepard weakly looks at the bruises around the asari's hand from where Shepard's hand had been gripping it. Her eyes drift down to her own and for a time she stares blankly at them opening and closing them to fists, back and forth. With a weary sigh rises to her feet, delivers a soft and gentle kiss of love to her wife and leaves the room searching for a coffee machine.

On the other side of the hospital floor she eventually finds a waiting room for families of those coming out of surgery. A glance at the clock tells her its two in the morning explaining the lack of people in the room, and the skeleton crew of staff visible on the level. Doctors would still be busy down in the emergency rooms but there was little that could actively be done apart from wait from some. Shepard waves her hand in front of the machine, her omni-tool triggering the payment mechanisms. While the coffee machine fills a disposable cup she leans against the edge of a table rubbing her eyes with her hands. Her memory runs over the battle, reliving every minute of it and for the first time since the battle her mind focuses not on the cost of the battle but instead upon those involved in it.

Coffee cup in hand she walks back across the hospital and stands outside the window to Liara's room watching her wife as her mind works over the situation. In her eyes the weary look of a broken soldier fades away being replaced by one of thought and concentration as she works the problem before her.

The attack had been conducted by Cerberus survivors and members of the former Blood Pack. Cerberus had plenty of reason to attack her for her part in the destruction of their organization during the Reaper War but the Blood Pack's part was more difficult to interpret. Neither of the groups would easily work with the other. Cerberus although destroyed was well known to have been very anti-alien in behavior and agenda. The Blood Pack on the other hand recruited specifically Vorcha and Krogans and no other species. They too had little interest or reason to work with other species. In addition there had been a number of Batarians that had taken part in the battle.

The three groups had plenty of reason to dislike Shepard who had killed large numbers of each during her career but getting them all to work together would be difficult. In addition gunships had also been en route to help in the attack. The Reaper destroyer Shepard had brought down to Earth had made quick and easy work of them but getting multiple military gunships onto earth and allowing it to be flown for any reason would require tremendous political pull, especially anywhere near London where security measures had been heightened for the wedding.

Shepard's eyes continued to narrow in thought a flame of anger and rage slowly growing in them as she worked through the problem before her. Someone or some group unknown had to be behind the attack, and unseen hand controlling it all. Whoever it was had to have a reason to want Shepard dead. They needed tremendous political pull to not only bring together the separate factions and to keep order amongst them, and to co-ordinate the details of the attack.

The AI part of her mind raided the extranet adding and eliminating suspects from the potential list of enemies. Throughout the galaxy the Reaper fleets stirred. Most of her fleets were assigned to garrison duties protecting the planets of the Citadel races. Now however many of the ships on such duties formed up into various squadrons and began searching throughout the galaxy. Shepard needed as many eyes searching for the one responsible and while she quietly and coldly sipped at the coffee in thought her anger began to slowly build slowly beginning to eclipse the sorrow that consumed Shepard, replacing it as the dominant emotion within her mind.

A short time later her omni-tool beeped and she brought up the vid screen on it and saw an image of Admiral Hackett looking back at her. The old war veteran studied Shepard for a time.

"Alright Shepard what are you up to. We're getting reports of Reaper movements all over the galaxy, you're up to something and I need to know what. If you're planning something I want to be able to mobilize the fleets if we should be expecting collateral damage."

Shepard looks quietly at the old admiral. "Just working on figuring out who's behind the attack, the more eyes I have looking the faster I can find them. Has intelligence come up with anything regarding the ones we captured.

Hackett shakes his head with a frustrated look on his face. "No and I don't think we're going to for a while. Most of them don't seem to know anything about who co-ordinated it, they didn't even know who or what they were attacking until they were deployed into position. As for the ones that do they're keeping their mouths shut. I don't know if we'll ever get anything out of them. Whoever co-ordinated this thing scares them pretty bad."

Shepard is silent in thought for a moment before a thought occurs to her. "Admiral I want those prisoners transferred over to some Geth I'll be sending to collect them momentarily."

Hackett eyes her warily through the video. "I don't like that look you've got in your eye Shepard, what have you got planned?"

Shepard looks up at the sky for a moment before looking back at Hackett's image. "I'm going to get them to talk, willingly. We don't know how reliable intel will be by the time we do get any, for all we know they might be making it up. I'm going to put them on board a Repear for a few days and let them become indoctrinated. They should tell us everything we need to know after that."

Hackett's eyes widen for a moment after hearing Shepard's plans before narrowing. "Shepard I'm going to say right out front I don't agree with this plan of yours."

Shepard's eyes narrow in response as she hears Hackett's disapproval to the plan. "With respect sir I'm doing nothing worse than anything the guys in intelligence might do to them. This way we at least know what we get will be genuine. These people are criminals and I see no reason to treat them as normal soldiers. That attack was conducted at a time when millions would be caught in the crossfire. If they had wanted to they could have attacked me at any other time but they deliberately choose then."

Hackett worked his jaw around obviously agreeing with the thought behind the plan but still in full disagreement. "Shepard we don't even know for sure that you were the target. That ceremony had hundreds of the biggest names in intergalactic politics, most of them with enemy lists just as long as yours." Hackett trails off as he sees the look Shepard gives him through the video. "Ok I'll agree you're the most likely target given the situation and how they were attacking, still that does not justify indoctrinating prisoners to get information. If you do it once when does it stop?"

Shepard looks thoughtful through her anger for a moment but eventually the look of determination returns. "Admiral we have no idea if or when another attack is planned. We are operating in the dark here. Whoever is behind this has enormous political pull to co-ordinate that whole thing. The longer we operate without that information the less time we have to prepare for the next attack, which for all we know could end up with more dead than the first time."

Hackett silently glares at Shepard for a long time before finally giving a sigh of resignation. "Very well Shepard. I'll have them transferred. But I want your promise that you won't let this get out of hand. You're too close to this one. If it was anyone else I'd have you placed on medical leave until this was all over but with you that just isn't an option." The look of disagreement is still on his face as the communication ends. As he stands there in an Alliance war room watching holographic displays of the Reaper fleets throughout the galaxy mobilizing he mutters under his breath. "What the hell did you become Shepard."

In the hospital on earth Shepard sends a message to the Geth and then closes her omni-tool before draining the last of the coffee from her cup.

She tosses the cup into a trashcan just inside the entry of Liara's room and moves over to Liara's side resuming her seat beside Liara's bed. Once again she gently takes Liar's hand in her own gently and lovingly holding it. "Don't worry I'll make sure they can't ever hurt you ever again." She slowly raises the hand and gently kisses as she resumes her solitary vigil watching her wife as throughout the galaxy the Reapers continue to mobilize.


	14. Wrath

Shepard paced outside Liara's hospital room looking in through the window now and then to see her two daughters asleep in chairs next to their mother their small bodies slumped over hers. In the hallway EDI, Jeff, Wrex, and Garrus all warily watched Shepard as she paced. Obvious signs of worry on their faces. As the four companions watched Shepard in silent worry she continued to pace along the length of the hallway, her mind focused on hunting down the ones who had attacked both her and her family. It had been three days now since the attack. Gone from Shepard's mind was most of the grief and sorrow. Though she still refused to leave Liara's side at night her thoughts were hard and focused, the anger and rage that had slowly been building had consumed Shepard's thoughts and focus.

In orbit over earth her Reapers that still remained prepared for mobilization. Inside one of the reapers the surviving leaders of the attack were confined. Though they had food, water her focus was not on their survival, but instead upon their indoctrination at which point they would tell her everything they knew, not through force on her part, but simply because they wished to. It was simply a matter of time, but until such time she had nothing to do but wait.

As she passed one of the waiting areas she could hear an extranet news broadcast recounting all the events and follow up events of the attack. However hearing Wrex's voice come from the broadcast she stops and turns to look at it. The image was of Wrex standing on a platform addressing with loud roars of speech the several hundred Krogan gathered before it, and through the broadcast the billions more that inhabited the galaxy.

"For their part in this attack I declare any Krogan still apart of any mercenary groups outcast and exiled from Tuchanka." While the commentators reviewing the political impact of the decision remained skeptical Shepard knew simply by listening to the roar of response from the gathered Krogan that it would be accepted with a savage and a fury and that any of the Krogan now exiled set so much as a single toe on Tuchanka, in all realism they would never get off world again.

Resuming her pacing down the hallway she reaches Liara's room once more and this time turns and walks inside. Standing there in the doorway she watches her wife and sleeping children and her expression softens ever so slightly. She was about to walk forward and join them when the rest of her mind, the part that controls the entire reaper flee can sense the completion of the indoctrination of the leaders in the attack. Turning she walks out and hurries at a jog towards the elevators. By the time she emerges from the elevator onto the roof of the building a Reaper drop ship had set down on one of the landing pads. Security assigned to the roof eyed it warily with weapons drawn but Shepard ignores them walking up and into the transport. The ship takes off and is quickly moving up the gravity well towards the contingent of the Reaper fleet assigned to protect Earth and the Citadel.

Shepard stepped out from the drop ship into a hanger. About her several hundred more drop ships wait ready. Reaper Marauders move about the vehicles making sure they are ready for the eventual assault on whatever base the enemy uses. Shepard quickly makes her way alone through the hallways of the Reaper. The ship itself was undoubtedly machine and metal, still in a dark sort of way, much like its origin of creation, it possessed an organic edge to its design, giving it a thoroughly alien appearance, one that would undoubtedly unnerved anyone for whom the ship simply constituted a semblance of their body.

Eventually Shepard reaches one of the chambers that the Reaper ship had for holding organics until indoctrinated. It was guarded by four Marauders, more than enough to ensure the prisoners did not escape. Stepping past the guards she enters and looks at the single Krogan, Vorcha, and two Batarians who had been leaders in the attack. The four prisoners look up as Shepard enters and in their minds the whispers of indoctrination work their way yet deeper. One of the Batarians steps forward following the guidance of the indoctrination. "What do you wish to know?" He asks of Shepard.

Shepard studies the group for a moment before turning and looking at the Batarian who had approached. "Who was behind the attack on earth three days ago."

The Batarian hesitates for a moment, obviously attempting to fight the indoctrination but fails and a moment later he speaks a single word that causes Shepard to narrow her eyes in anger but also understanding at last. "Aria"

Without hesitation Shepard draws her pistol and pumps a single shot into the head of each of the indoctrinated prisoners who die without resistance. She can feel the slight vibration to the deck beneath her feet that told her a fact she already knew, the Reaper was moving. The solitary Reaper quickly departed its position in the Sol system heading for the Charon Mass Relay beyond Pluto. Elsewhere in the galaxy the Reaper squadrons that had been patrolling space searching for any clue of the attacker all changing course and heading directly for Omega.

It was a matter of hours later that Shepard stood on an observation deck of the Reaper na looked out at Omega as it was surrounded by twelve Sovereign class Reapers as well as forty more Reaper destroyers, an utterly overwhelming force. The Reaper ships were engaged with remnants of Blood Pack ships as well as ships belonging to Eclipse, and Blue Suns. Ten years before Shepard had put Aria squarely on top of the three powerful mercenary groups. The years and constant skirmishes with Reaper forces had done tremendous damage to the groups who were each a shadow of their former selves. Amidst the ongoing battle that was rapidly drawing to a close as the mercenary fleet quickly was being destroyed there was a flurry of small personnel ships from bystanders escaping the place. Shepard let them leave without argument, her quarrel was not with them after all. She had already sent Reaper drop ships in with landing parties to ensure that Aria did not leave the station, the fighting was fierce on board but Aria was pinned. Her escape routes had been cut off and though she had been contained she was not as yet captured.

Shepard turns and walks to a room near the observation deck that she had had turned months ago into a private quarters for herself. Inside she dons armor and grabs weapons. The armor was decidedly Reaper in appearance and construction, made using methods and techniques that had not as yet been discovered by the rest of the galaxy. Though it had been designed to imitate her old armor in appearance down even to the N7 emblem upon her breastplate it was vastly superior. The same went for her weapons which were also of Reaper construction. A short time later the Reapers having by that point vanquished the last of the mercenary fleet and forming a holding pattern around the station she rode in a transport along with a squad of Marauders.

Inside the station it was a ferocious firefight as ground elements of the mercenary groups as well as former contingents of Cerberus that Aria had somehow co-opted when she retook the station held their ground. Still once Shepard had made her way to the front lines inside the station and engaged in the attack herself the fight quickly became even more one sided. The defenders had been barely holding out as it was, with Shepard now in the battle herself it quickly tipped the balance even more. Shepard and her reaper troops surged through defensive line after defensive line, killing hundreds. Innocent bystanders were left alone and untouched but any of the mercenaries that survived the wave of destruction were taken back to the waiting Reaper ships for processing. Shepard knew in her mind as she pushed through the station that she had been far too lenient with warlords such as Aria. The cost of removing them from power in regards to the innocent people that lived beneath them Shepard had originally weighed as being too costly, but now she knew otherwise. And so any surviving members of the defenders were dragged back to be turned into future Reaper ground troops for the future offensives Shepard was already planning against other warlords.

Finally though they reached Afterlife. The club that Shepard had first met Aria in, and unsurprisingly the Asari Warlord's final position. When they forced their way through the last barricade and made their way into the club itself Shepard held up a hand signaling the Reaper forces behind her to stop. Around the room perhaps four dozen mercenaries remained all with guns drawn and aimed at Shepard. Up on a balcony overlooking the main area Aria just laughed.

"Shepard, I guess you forgot Omega's one rule."

Shepard glared up at the Asari warlord who for a brief time had been her ally.

"No Aria you forgot my one rule. I told you that I had one as well when we first met. You took a shot at my family. If it had just been me I wouldn't have taken that personal but you involved them too. So I want to know why?"

The Asari warlord laughs in a cold fury.

"Why? Because you've been destroying my operation for the last ten years, you and your reapers. I figured that might have been you in control once they stopped their war against the galaxy. When you finally emerged into the public I managed to get sensors near you and they picked up some rather interesting things. You were getting inbound and outbound transmissions from the Reapers. So as long as you were alive you would continue to tear apart my business. But I managed to figure out how to stop you. You've been hiding from the public eye for ten years because you have to be living to control them. If you die who knows what will happen. I'm personally hopping they die too. And that's why this whole thing had to get arranged."

As Aria spoke Shepard could see where the warlord had slipped up. The events and circumstances certainly favored such a theory making it possible, but that was not the case. Even if the body Shepard used was to be controlled she would still continue to control the Reapers. And therein existed the flaw to Aria's plan. As the Asari finished speaking Shepard began to laugh which quickly quieted the Asari.

"You bet wrong Aria, that's not quite how it works. Still good job seeing through my control. If I wasn't about to kill you I'd congratulate you. But instead for what you did to my family you have to die." Shepard raises a pistol while every soldier in the room Reaper and otherwise takes aim for a firefight. Shepard coldly smirks as she takes aim at Aria. "Goodbye Aria."

As she was about to fire from behind her came a shout.

"Shepard!"


	15. Skirmish

Shepard looked back as she heard her named called out. Turning back she watched as her former comrade-in-arms Zaeed Massani drops from an upper level of the club to the ground floor, standing a few feet away from her. Zaeed calls out to her as she turns to look at him.

"So this is how you want to be a big goddamn hero huh? I will say I was right about the rage wasn't I." Shepard doesn't respond simply studying her former team mate. He had a few more scars since she had last saw him ten years ago during the battle for London. But he still had that same determined look in his eyes. Her eyes drop to his weapon and she recognizes Jessie Massani's old rifle that he had built his career and reputation with. Zaeed slowly walked forward towards her, Jessie in hand his eyes studying hers. Eventually he stops a few inches from her studying her in the eyes. After a few seconds he gives a grim smirk and turning a little he walks by Shepard moving to place himself between her and Aria.. But as he turns he gives her a quick wink of the eye hidden from view of the others.

"So is this your big grand plan for saving the galaxy? Go to war with every sorry-assed mercenary in the Systems?"

Shepard gives a snort of amusement of her own before replying. "I'm getting the job done. You know why I'm here?"

Zaeed gives a silent nod as he stands between Shepard and her target. "Well you're outa luck. I'm under contract for this so it's no good for you."

The two study each other for a moment before Zaeed's rifle comes up, almost as if in slow motion to Shepard's time perception. Zaeed's rifle start's to move about the area taking the lives of all those gathered there. Shepard throws a flurry of biotic attacks and combos at the ones behind Zaeed while she moves off to the side. Up above the area Aria becomes cloaked in biotic energy as she leaps over the railing and descends to the floor. Her biotic powers slowing the descent enough that she lightly touches down.

While Zaeed and the reaper ground troops continue to mop the floor with Aria's mercenaries Shepard closes into close combat with Aria as the two powerful warriors engage in a battle of biotics. Shepard though as heavily armored as she was wove and ducked dodging her prey's attacks entirely. The battle had become a dance of death between the two. Regardless of who won, the other was sure to loose their life as a cost.

Shepard dodged and whirled a barrage of biotic throws and warps. A flip through the air her body twisting as it turned carried her over the detonations of a biotic shock wave. The two combatants' bodies were each clothed in biotic energy almost as if it were clothes, so thick were the energies surrounding each. As Shepard completed her turn in the air around her right fist the energies concentrated even more to the point that her armored fist beneath became almost impossible to see. The fist streaks downward striking towards her target beneath her. Aria snarls and throws up a barrier in the air inches between the fist and herself. The barrier detonates from coming into contact with such a high powered biotic attack and Aria kicks at the ground throwing herself backwards to avoid the flashback of the detonation. Shepard lands in a hunting crouch and as the blue biotic energy increases around her feet she springs forward incredibly fast. Aria as well charges forward but just before reaching Shepard matching the biotic charge but just before reaching Shepard jumps upwards, shifting the direction of the charge and mimicking the attack Shepard had just used on her.

Shepard though while her prey moves above her kills her momentum completely and bracing herself swings her own fist at her enemy it too, surrounded by a maelstrom of biotic power. The two attacks connect and the combined power of both meeting erupts in a violent eruption of power. The two combatants are sent flying as the eruption of biotic power rips away the barriers of both entirely. Each slams into an opposite wall, hard, while around the room Zaeed and the handful of remaining Reaper Marauders are also slammed into walls, along the corpses of the dead mercenaries littering the floor of the chamber.

Shepard and Aria stagger to their feet, as each does biotic energy once more enwrapping each. Shepard spits blood from her mouth, grinning savagely for a moment before simply vanishing. Aria's eyes widen in surprise her danger sense barely warning her in time to give her warning to duck as from behind her Shepard's fist swishes right where her head had formerly been. She retreat's backwards with a biotic charge attempting figure out what had just happened when it happens again. Shepard disappears once more and this time though she reacts faster to the coming blow it catches her with a glancing hit that still manages to send her flying.

As Aria staggers to her feet spitting black Asari blood from her mouth she watches Shepard finally recognizing the technique. It was one of the abilities of Reaper Banshee's that had proven so deadly during the war. Those twisted Reaper creations that had once been Ardat-Yakshi had been powerful to an extreme in biotic energy, and though normally slow moving had been capable of a not at all understood biotic technique that allowed them to teleport short distances about the battlefield. Somehow Shepard as well was now able to use it. But hers was improved, somehow.

The battle continued for several minutes more between the two in the now empty room as the remaining survivors had wisely retreated outside to await the outcome lest they became caught in the middle of the battle between the two. Shepard continued to hold the offensive her new ability dominating the battle with Aria unable to counter it and barely able to dodge the attacks, and even then some still got through her defenses. As more and more attacks hit her she began to slow. The number of strikes that hit her, now entirely just biotic punches at close range from Shepard, increased, more and more quickly in between each other until at last after a staggering combo of strikes a final throw field sends her flying into a wall, and at last she doesn't get up.

Shepard walks over to the now defeated Asari drawing her pistol and aiming at her foe's head. Her hands remain steady but unmoving for first seconds and then minutes as she keeps the pistol aimed steadily at her foe. In the end she lowers the pistol and Aria gives a grim but at the same time defiant and victorious smile to Shepard as she watches the one who defeated her for the first time in centuries.

Aria began to laugh at her foe's weaknesses when she feels Reaper Marauders dragging her away. Shepard quietly watches her foe for a time until she disappears from view and she turns muttering in a whisper to herself.

'There is wisdom in harnessing the strengths of your enemy."


	16. Discovery

Catherine sat in the starboard observation area of the Normandy. Quiet in meditation Biotic energy encircled her form hugging closely to her body. Her eyes closed she meditated in silence. It had been six months since the wedding. Catherine was now Catherine Shepard-T'soni. Liara was nearing the end of the road to her full recovery. As were the girls. Benezia's vision had returned two weeks after the event, though she and her sister still were taken to see an Asari psychiatrist near their home on earth every two weeks to deal with the emotional wounds that needed healing from witnessing the event.

The six months that had followed had seen a dramatic increase in Reaper activity as Shepard had proceeded to hunt down all the warlords, dictators, and despots she had previously let live in the assumption that as terrible as they were, the power vacuum that would follow would be worse. She now knew better and her retribution against those like Aria had been swift and merciless. Now though with the last remnants of war bent factions being mopped up the galaxy had returned to its usual peaceful state. Intrigue and politics still occurred with as much regularity as before, but such warfare never left the corridors of power, shady back rooms, and speaking halls.

The Normandy itself was near the core of the galaxy as not far distant dozens of Reapers continued their work on building a new Mass Relay. Over the ages of time it was inevitable that some relays would become lost due to accident, or fate. It took ten years to make a new relay. Fortunately enough Catherine had begun rebuilding the various missing and destroyed relays in the hope that by more completely uniting the galaxy she would increase and ensure the chances of peace thriving and succeeding. Shepard opens her eyes as she hears the door behind her quietly opening, her eyes looking out through the view port to watch the Reapers. The biotic energy surrounding her body disappears as she feels a hand touch her shoulder. Even if there hadn't been only two other people on the entire ship Catherine would have known who it was. She simply knew from a connection between the two that would transcend time and space itself.

Catherine looks up and smiles at Liara, her smile growing wider at seeing her wife wearing her old N7 hoodie, and nothing else. Liara lowers herself to her knees leaning over Catherine to kiss her, the position was a bit awkward but neither minded in the least. Catherine smiled as Liara moved to the side and sat down next to her before leaning back so that she lay sideways in Shepard's lap.

"It's a good thing the girls are back on Earth for school. Heavens forgive they saw you like this. You do remember that Javik is down below so do behave."

Liara gives a warm smile but there is mischief in her eyes as she ran her hands over Shepard's Alliance BDU's that she was wearing.

"You could stand to loosen up yourself you know."

Liara's head turns and looks out through the view port watching the relay and Reapers. She is silent for a time watching the construction before speaking again.

"Do you think we'll find anything at all?"

Catherine gives a shrug.

"The Relay was destroyed over a century before the Reapers attacked them. The core was dangerous and deadly so there's no way of knowing if the relay on the other side let alone if the planet survived, still we can hope. I know they had extensive resourcing operations, the system was extremely rich in material wealth, but the danger made it almost impossible for them to access let alone exploit until near the end of their empire. Still we can hope..."

Catherine looked down at Liara gently stroking her wife's scalp with her hand.

"Thank you for letting me do this for you. Now you really should go get dressed. The relay will be finished soon. I'll be sending a few probes through to make sure its safe but after that we'll go through."

Shepard leans down to give Liara a lingering kiss but eventually the two break off and Liara, after a quick final kiss to Catherine, heads to the elevator taking it back up to their quarters. Shepard after the elevator returns takes the elevator down to the engineering level. Emerging from the elevator she walks down the passage to Javik's quarters. Though it had been more than a decade since the Prothean warrior had become a member of the crew Liara and Javik had kept the room the same, a few amenities had been added but little else had been altered. The Prothean looks up and back at Shepard as she enters.

"Commander."

"You ready Javik, I'm nearly finished with construction. Once the probes ensure its safe we'll head through. You'll probably want to come up to watch."

Shepard turns to exit when she hears Javik speak again.

"Commander. Thank you. I was wrong about you, and perhaps about my kind as well. Our war against the Reapers had blinded us to the possibilities. When we first met after you took control of them, and I touched one of your ships, I hated you, I thought you had betrayed my kind. But I realize now that it was not so. You have taken the Reapers and used their knowledge to rebuild the galaxy, undoing as much damage from what they have done as you can. Thank you, and thank you for bringing me along for this."

Catherine gave a dismissive gesture, not needing the apology.

"Don't worry about it, and you should be thanking Liara. She's the one who insisted on bringing you along so you two have more material for the book you two are still writing."

Javik gives a nod.

"True, I misunderstood her as much as I did you when we first met. Still thank you."

Catherine gives a nod before walking out.

A short time the three of them stand in the cockpit watching as the Reapers ships pull away and the Relay becomes active. A nearby Reaper launches eight probes sending each in succession through the Relay. Both Asari and Prothean are silent waiting for Catherine to tell them the results. Finally from the pilot's chair Catherine looks back and smiles as her hands move about the console engaging the drives. Beside them a trio of Reaper capital ship move alongside, readying to make the jump with them. The ships increase in speed as they approach the relay before finally being shot into the core of the galaxy by the relay. Alarms sound loudly through the ship as it emerges before quickly silencing as the Reaper ships take up position around them.

The relay had deposited the ships in the core of the galaxy. Normally inaccessible except through the use of mass relays there existed safe areas between the destructive forces that filled the core. Ahead of them a singular star was surrounded by five planets in close orbit. The surfaces of each were inhospitable but beneath the surface rich mineral and metal deposits could be found, vast wealth ready for the taking, if only it could. The records the Reapers had taken from the Citadel when they had attacked the Prothean empire had told them that there had been mining operations on three of the planets with intent to eventually mine them all, one of the planets had even had a small colony buried beneath the surface to protect it from the harshness of the system's sun at such close range. However the unexpected destruction of the relay, most likely by an asteroid, had cut off the mining operation. The system was well nigh inhabitable and even the Normandy by itself would have been unable to make the journey, only with the protection of being inside the powerful barriers of the Reapers could they survive.

The four ships make their way towards the planets, skirting around the star. As the largest planet, which was also the one farthest from the star came into view a confused expression crossed onto Catherine's face. Quietly she mutters to herself.

"Strange..." The two companions behind her wait questioningly in silence for an explanation that Shepard doesn't give. In the end the two simply return to watching out through the view ports. Several minutes later as they are passing by the moon of the largest planet Catherine's eyes visibly widen and the two feel the Normandy come to a stop in space as do the Reaper capital ships surrounding them and protecting them from the dangerous caress of the sun.

The communications come alive filled with garbage noise from the radiation and Shepard takes a moment to clean it out. Finally though the two hear what Shepard was so clearly showing to them.

The language was one that all three understood. For Catherine, and Javik, they understood perfectly, to Liara it was more difficult to understand but still she recognized it. From deep craters hidden within shadow on the moon and the planet ships began to emerge, massive ships capable of withstanding the wrath of the radiation while over the communication link the transmission continued.

"Unidentified forces you have entered the domain of the Prothean Empire, prepare to be boarded and interrogated."


	17. Diplomacy

Hours passed with both Reaper and Prothean fleets strengthening number. On the Prothean side where originally the eight dreadnaught sized ships had originally appeared from the nearby planet's surface more had emerged from hidden hangars and shelters concealing them from the deadly rays of the sun at such close range. These ships though many more in number than the original eight to appear were much smaller in size, their numbers, well over eighty in total made up for their lack of size. Their purposes equivalent to frigates and cruisers in modern fleet make ups. Together with the eight dreadnaughts they formed a barrier against the Reaper ships and the Normandy, denying them access to the planet farthest from the sun.

On the other hand the Reaper fleets were also greatly strengthened. The initial three Sovereign class Reapers had formidable enough to potentially fight the fleet but more had been brought into the system. Two more of the massive Reaper capital ships had joined into the formation emerging from the Mass Relay along with twenty-six Reaper destroyers that had also been involved in the reconstruction of the outer Relay accessing in to the system. In addition they had been joined by five new Reaper ships. Massive in size and scope they rivaled traditional Reaper capital ships in terms of firepower and size. But unlike those original Reaper ships, these were not built using the essence and material of harvested civilizations. Instead they were controlled in their entirety by Catherine herself, and no other. These Reaper ships which she had dubbed of belonging to a Paladin class. Were the future for her existence. No more would the Reapers replenish their numbers through the use of organic civilizations. A new era in the existence of the Reapers had been formed by the creation of these ships.

Physically the Paladin Reaper capital ships appeared almost identical to any traditional Sovereign class capital ship. Any organic or even synthetic race that examined them would find no difference. Only Catherine herself knew the true difference between the older and newer generations of Reaper ships.

The ninety-three total Prothean ships were arrayed against Catherine's thirty seven ship fleet which included the Normandy in its count. But as yet not a shot had been fired by either side. For Catherine's part she did not wish to be the death of an entire species. The Prothean reasons were at present impossible to understand to her but the fact remained that for the moment a tense ceasefire was maintained. Eventually as the two fleets stood off there at last came a communication. Not from the fleet but the far planet itself. A few minutes later as the transmission between the Normandy and the Prothean planet concluded a transport shuttle emerged from the Normandy's hanger bay while from the planet a shuttle of presumably similar purpose emerged as well.

Catherine and whatever ruling government dominated this system knew that a standoff could not be maintained indefinitely and either battle or negotiations would need to ensue. The Protheans much to Catherine's relief had elected for diplomacy and so a small facility on the planet the two fleets were nearest to had been elected as a neutral meeting place between delegates of each side. Liara and Javik had both initially wished to join Shepard but Shepard had refused on the off chance that such a meeting proved to be a trap, pointing out that she was the only one of them for whom death was not a permanent obstacle. And so the two remained aboard the Normandy near the rear of the Reaper fleet and which through sensor feeds what occurred.

In the silence of space each of the shuttles passed beyond the protection of their respective fleets. Catherine, with less distance to travel waited for a few minutes for the Prothean delegate to arrive. Eventually the Prothean shuttle arrives. As the shuttle made its approach Catherine studied the arrayed Prothean ships. Their style was quite different from the Collector ship she had faced before. These ships on the other hand seemed designed almost as if modeled after living creatures. It was unmistakable that each was made of metal, still each almost seemed to have a life to it in essence and in spirit. The massive mile to mile and a half long dreadnaughts seemed modeled after lumbering scaled animals. The cruisers and frigates seemed almost like predatory fish in shape. The fighters arrayed in squadrons amidst the many ships seemed to take the shape of birds of prey, diving towards a target. None of the ships resembled any creature she had before seen, still there was a certain identifiable essence to each that made each in some way identifiable, despite their utterly alien construction and origin.

Still eventually Catherine turned her attention away from the fleet as the Prothean shuttle at last entered the no-man's land in between the two arrayed fleets. Engaging her shuttle's drive core Catherine followed the shuttle in its descent towards the planet the two fleets were arrayed near. Like all the other planets in the system it was a barren and rocky surfaced planet. The intense radiation and heat made life impossible on the surface of the planet. But as the shuttle got closer Catherine started picking up sensor readings previously hidden in the radiation of the sun, beneath the planet's surface.

The shuttle lead her down a circular shaft of obviously artificial creation near the Northern pole where the surface of the planet was exposed least to the direct onslaught of the system's star and allowed for stable rock instead of the constant magma surface that constituted most of the planet's surface apart from the poles. The construction of the shaft reminded Catherine of many structures she had seen on the Krogan home world of Tuchanaka. Not for its design or style, but simply the worn look it possessed, despite all it had endured in such a harsh existence it still remained strong, full of function and purpose. The farther however they descended into the shaft the less damaged it became. When they had descended more than a mile beneath the planet's surface, to a point where the distant surface was no more than a pinprick of light at last a doorway leading to a passage opened.

The first Prothean shuttle lead the way inside and as Catherine's shuttle followed the doorway into the shaft behind it closed. A labyrinth of access tunnels formed a veritable maze of paths through the rock of the planet but the shuttle did not lead them deep inside instead taking them to a large landing bay with more than enough room for the two transports to land on either side of the chamber. While the landing chamber itself was devoid of life the shuttle's sensors picked up Prothean life signatures in near vicinity throughout parts of the facility where the rock of the planet did not conceal them too much. Also the sensors picked up where a table and several chairs on each side had been set up in the center of the chamber between the landing zones for each craft.

Catherine proceeded to shut down the shuttle and then unstrap her flight harness before standing and moving towards one of the side hatches of the shuttle. She at last exited and observed that whatever emissary the Protheans had sent had not yet emerged from their shuttle and so she studied the architecture of the facility around her. Like the Collector ship and base the facility had an obvious insect origin in the design of the architecture. The doorways leading out were metal as were access areas admitting logistical access to allow power and other such needs into the area for use, the same for life support systems. The rest of the chamber however remained stone shaped and constructed such that it reminded Catherine of an insect hive in nature and origin.

Catherine's attention however was diverted away as atlas a side of the shuttle opposite her opened admitting its occupant. The ambassador was quite obviously a Prothean but what did to some small degree surprise her was that it was a female one. The Head with its insectoid shape was more narrowed and the natural carapace plating that Prothean's possessed was more subdued and repressed giving the female a more streamlined figure compared to the more bulky and armored figure of Prothean males. For clothes the figure wore highly decorated robes that both concealed her body while still showing from beneath the shape of her body. Catherine's eyebrows rise for a moment in surprise. In the time of the Reapers male Protheans had dominated many parts of the Prothean government and especially military. To see a female as the delegate meant most likely one of two things, that either this was a trap, which didn't at all concern Catherine, or that in fifty thousand years more than a few things had changed about these Protheans. A realization that didn't shock Catherine in the least.

The Prothean emissary stopped on the far side of the table and standing there inclined her head in a respectful sort of bow of greeting before straightening after a moment.

"You are not Prothean, do you act for the empire as an emissary to fulfill our return to the empire's loving embrace?"

Catherine shakes her head.

"Your people and empire have not existed for over fifty millenia since the Reapers eradicated your species and culture at the end of the last cycle."

There was no way of breaking the news easily to the Prothean female so Catherine had simply come out and said such, the female for her part, while possessing a sad look did not seem all that surprised.

"We have feared as much for a long time. Very well, Introductions between us are in order I believe before we discuss any more. I am Jenassai Involeer XXVIII, ruler of Bastion and this system, and if the words you speak are true, empress of all that remains of my people."

Catherine's eyes visibly widen, she had not expected the delegate to be the ruler of the system. Such a situation was not one she had expected but she did not allow it to hesitate her. She gave a slight bow of respect before giving her own greeting.

"I am Catherine Shepard-T'soni. There are many titles I can lay claim to. None of which will mean much to you, apart from perhaps one..."

Watching the Prothean ruler warily studying her reaction she continued.

"I am the conqueror of the Reapers."

At this all off Jenassai's eyes widen as much as they can and she is silent for a moment starring at Catherine.

"You conquered the Reapers?! Is such a thing possible?"

Catherine gives a confirming nod.

"The ships of my fleet in orbit that you surely saw are Reapers."

Jenassai visibly seems disturbed by the idea and thought but retains composure and gestures Catherine to take a seat while she sits as well, the two of them sitting together, equals.

"I think it would be best if you tell me everything that has transpired."

Catherine proceeded to explain and lay out everything she could both from her own knowledge during her life as a normal human as well as the collective knowledge of the Reapers that was at her command. She told the Prothean ruler of her people's fall to the Reapers explaining it to great although brief detail. She told of the rise of the current species that inhabited the galaxy. She told of her own species emergence into the galaxy. She told of the Citadel, a topic that generated many questions from the Prothean who proved to have quite a thirst of curiosity. She told of the arrival of the Reapers with first Sovereign who used Saren and the Geth, then of her death, then of her rebirth to fight against the Collectors, those Protheans that had been twisted as pawns for the Reaper's manipulation, tools of their will.

Such talk unsurprisingly elicited a series of sad expressions from the Prothean female, but despite that she demanded to know all that Catherine knew, to leave nothing all unanswered. Catherine continued on to tell of the Reaper War itself, of the discovery and construction of the Crucible, of the wars on the many planets, and finally of the battle to retake Earth and the use of the Crucible. She explained her own situation of how her body had been destroyed and how she now controlled the Reapers of the entire galaxy, and how in the decade since she had used them to rebuild and stabilize the galaxy. She explained further how she and her wife along with the only Prothean that was known to exist in the galaxy had intended to explore this system, in the belief that intact Prothean ruins and knowledge might be found here.

And so it became time for the Prothean female to tell the story of her people and their survival. Catherine learned that the Protheans for hundreds of years before the Reaper arrival had known that a great foe was approaching, not knowing what form their foe would take, only that many civilizations before them had also been eradicated they had taken steps to ensure the survival of their species. They had colonized this system and turned the planet farthest from the star, the one the gathered Prothean fleet protected, into a last bastion of their kind should their attempts to fight off the Reapers failed. In order to protect the knowledge of the system's habitation it had been hidden from the rest of the empire, a secret that had been ensured by destroying the relay of the outer system, disguising it as an accident and using the lie to hide its existence. For fifty thousand years they had existed alone cut off from the rest of the galaxy with no way of knowing if their kind and empire still existed. The Mass Relays had been their only way of access in, not even Reapers could reach the system by any method such as those.

Catherine knew that when the Reapers had invaded they had discovered the false truth but with no other evidence to the contrary they had believed such, the system while rich in physical wealth was so inhospitable that Reapers had not bothered to rebuild the relay when to their knowledge nothing had existed there apart from a few small mining and resourcing operations.

Jenassai continued to tell of their system's history and existence. For a long time life had been prosperous beneath the surface of Bastion. The knowledge that they might forever be cut off had always been taken into account and so few resources had been wasted on pointless endeavors. Still even a system as rich as this was nearing the end of its resources. For the past ten thousand years her people had been in a slow decline that if the Relays had never been re-opened would have eventually meant their death.

And so at last Empress and Admiral sat at that table studying each other with calculating gaze and a measure of respect for the accomplishments of each. Both were young by the ages of their species physically, not counting Catherine's immortality granted by her now true nature. Each knew that they would live long enough to see the effects of whatever agreements were reached that day and would have to live with the full effects both good and bad of such agreements.

Jenassai broke the silence first.

"Both I and my people would be grateful if you would allow us access to the Gateway." As she referred to the Relay at the edge of her system."

Catherine gave an understanding nod.

"That is quite understandable but before I allow you such access there are certain things I must know. You possess a fleet of considerable size, against the might of my fleets they are nothing, but against the other fleets of the galaxy, even as aged and decayed as your ships are, they are formidable. So to what end will you use your might?"

Jenassai gives Catherine a resolute look.

"My purpose of station is to ensure the well being and survival of my people. Should the people of your galaxy threaten them I will use that fleet to defend them, so long as peace is ensured, so will I honor such."

Catherine is silent for a time before giving an accepting nod.

"And what of your planet, Bastion as you call it. You wish access to the rest of the galaxy but will you allow the galaxy access to your world and people. Your kind has not been seen for fifty thousand years, there are a great many people who will have great interest in your kind, not the least of which will be my wife but also Javik, the Prothean I mentioned who was a warrior who fought against the Reapers at the end of your kind's cycle. Will you allow them to see your world as they allow you to see theirs?"

Jenassai had a relieved look upon her face as she nodded.

"I wish the galaxy to open itself to us to allow for the salvation of my people. It would be very unreasonable if we were not to behave similarly."

With a smile on the face of each they both rise to their feet and walking around the table to meet near the end each extends a hand and shakes, their personal bond to secure such agreement between each other. Smiling at the female Catherine asks.

"Since your empire is no more what will your people call yourselves?"

The question creates a thoughtful look from Jenassai who is silent in thought for a time before looking at Catherine.

"I do believe that in place of the Prothean Empire we shall be the Prothean Remnants. It is suitable wouldn't you agree?"

With a smile Catherine nods in agreement.

"It is indeed."


	18. Youth

The classroom was filled with twenty three Asari teenagers, not physically teenagers, just the word that would be used to describe the age of the girls as perceived by the rest of the Asari population. In actual age each of the girls were well into their thirties, almost forty for some of them. Very young by the stages of their species, equivalent to sixteen or so for humans. All of the teenage Asari girls were arrayed in tiers rising upwards from the front of the classroom where a middle aged male Salarian sat at a desk, his eyes moving back and forth with the holograph displays showing the progress of each student on their exams and the students himself. His gaze lingered on for a time on one of the students, midway back of the class room slumped asleep at her testing station. A glance at his display would show she had not only completed her exam, but completed it with flying colors, still a look of disapproval was on his face as he gazed at her before his gaze moved on.

In fact he was the only one in the room to even look at her, the rest of the students were well used to the behavior and remained focused on their exams, the only exception was the Asari to her left who kept now and then flashing a glance at her companion. Finally though a soft chime sounded as the exam and the school day were brought to a close. Some of the students had a decidedly depressed look on their faces, most though looked content as they watched the teacher. The student to the next of the sleeping Asari leaned over and tapped her companion waking her just in time for the teacher to begin speaking.

"Students I wish to congratulate you all on the completion of both your final and the year, but also on the end of your basic schooling, hopefully you will all go on to various universities to study great and wonderful things. Class dismissed."

The students proceeded to leave, some making a beeline for the exit while a few others talked amongst themselves before leaving in groups. Eventually only the two Asari and the teacher remained. The one who had been asleep still rousing herself to awareness while her companion was perched on the testing station smirking at her.

"Stayed up all night sparing with dad again didn't you Nezzy."

"So did you Hannah, except you were with Mom studying, don't know why, wasn't like it was hard or anything, exam was easy if anything."

Hannah smirked at her twin sister. The two asari now where fully grown physically, though they were still judged as little more than children by Asari society, the rest of the galaxy perceived Asari of their age to be grown adults.

Finally with a yawn and a stretch Benezia got up from her chair and followed her twin out of the room. It wasn't until the two were left that the teacher at last smiled. Those two in particular had caused him numerous headaches throughout the year, in Benezia's case it was due partially to her indifference to the class. But both of them had caused him considerable stress as he had attempted to stay ahead of their sheer intelligence. It was always a pleasure to have students that challenged him just as much as he challenged them.

The two girls moved through the hallways of the school making their way through throngs of students of all the species of the galaxy, not just Asari or human, although the academy was located on Earth. It had been thirty-seven years since the Reaper war. In that time the Citadel, still the center of galactic politics had remained in orbit over Earth. Not surprisingly the planet had become much more diverse in regards to population. With politicians and diplomats maintaining residences on Earth instead of the Citadel for much cheaper living expenses, let alone the difference in the amount of room afforded for equal expenses, it became inevitable that sooner or later schools would be needed to educate students who weren't human. And so across the world, primarily in major cities, various academies had been formed for the purpose of educating those for whom a human system of learning would be an unreasonable one.

And so the two twins walked through the hallway filled with Asari, Turians, Krogan, Batarians, Hannar, Salrians, Protheans, Drell, Quarians, Volus, and of course Humans, for whom the planet still remained their home world. Many of those around them would eye the two, it was common knowledge after all that their father was the legendary Admiral Hannah Shepard-T'soni. Hero of the galaxy and ruler of the Reapers. It was the same reason that very few individuals of any species ever dared approach the girls for friendship, it had been somewhat stifling but the two had known that this would most likely be the fate of their life, even before their father had returned from the dead to rejoin their family.

As the two walked out the main entry way of the school the spotted both their parents and the inevitable Krogan bodyguards but also the equally inevitable onlookers seemingly entranced by the presence of their dad. It wasn't in the least bit surprising to the girls, it had been twenty seven years since their father had returned from the dead to them after all. In that time not only the knowledge of her return but of her mastery of the Reapers had circulated to the entire galaxy, a product of her attack on Omega shortly after her return.

A short time later the four of them were in main gathering room of Catherine and Liara's home on earth. The mansion itself was located in the mountains of northern New York in America. Originally it had belonged to Catherine's mother Hannah Shepard, who had taken ownership as the last surviving relative of its previous owner who had died during the Reaper take over of Earth during the war. It had come as a surprise to the still active admiral that she was the last heir to a distant relative who it turned out was one of the richest humans in the galaxy. And so after having it rebuilt and redecorated Hannah had used the mansion home of her relative as her own home as well as the home of Catherine, Liara, and their family whenever they were on Earth. Hannah's death three years previously had seen it change hands yet again, this time to her daughter. Catherine and her family now used it as their home when they resided on Earth. Catherine maintained several residences all across the galaxy that she and sometimes the family would travel to. The most common ones that she inhabited for extended periods of time were the one they were currently in. A home on Rannoch, a residence on Thessia, and Tuchancka, which was simply an entire wing of the palace that Wrex lived in rather than a separate home of her own.

The four sat in the spacious main lounge that Catherine and Liara used whenever hosting guests. The laughter and sounds of Catherine and Liara's other daughters came now and again to the gathered family. In the twenty seven years since Catherine's return, Catherine and Liara's love for each other had blossomed even greater, as evidenced by the addition of three more girls into the family. Syrina, Mellisa, and Elizabeth, however were not present, as they were respectively aged twenty thirteen and four. No doubt the trio were getting into trouble somewhere but that would be dealt with later, for now Liara, Catherine, and Hannah all expectantly watched Benezia who finally gave a frustrated sigh.

"Ok look I'm enlisting in the Alliance tomorrow. I've already had Aunt Kasumi make me a false ID for my time in the military. Sorry dad but I want to do this on my own. If I enlist under my own name then everyone will treat me as your daughter. I want to go through the same thing you did when you enlisted and served."

Catherine smiles a touch of worry over her daughter's choice to her gaze but the worry was dwarfed simply in the pride at her daughter's choice.

"Nezzy, I am proud of you for this, you'll probably have me worry when you ship out to a combat zone, but I still couldn't be more proud of you."

Leaning forward Catherine kisses her daughter on the forehead which causes the Asari to tear up in happiness for a moment, she quickly wipes away the tears so that they wouldn't be seen.

"Thanks dad. Now if you'll excuse me I intend to enjoy my last night as a civilian."

To this Catherine just gives an understanding chuckle of amusement.

A short time later the daughter and father were in the basement of the mansion home. The large central room of the basement had been turned into a training and work out area for the family. As it was daughter and father were in the middle of sparring with each other, much as they often did. Benezia although strong by Asari or even human standards after years of sparring and training with her father still lacked her father's strength, and always would in all likely hood as such strength was granted by the extensive Reaper modifications Catherine had conducted upon her body. So instead of being a straight up puncher much like her father was Benezia instead focused on speed and agility in combination with her strength. Where Catherine would deflect and take a much weakened punch or kick Benezia would avoid them entirely. And after almost two decades of training she had gotten very good at it.

The informal match between the two finally came to an end as Benezia dropped down to the mat to dodge a flurry of punches from her father while sweeping out with her leg to knock her dad's feet out from under her. The match at last at an end the two lay panting with fatigue on the mat smiling at each other. A tear forming in Catherine's eyes she leaned over at kissed Benezia on the forehead for a moment.

"Remember, I will always love you."

Benezia smiled back at her father as tears formed in her own eyes at the comment.

"I know dad, I know."

-

The club pulsed with music and noise as Benezia sat at the bar nursing a drink while on either side of her a Turian and Human male were both trying to talk her into coming back to their respective places, Benezia simply ignored them. She'd already changed her ID over so that now she was Benezia Alexander, an Asari maiden with colorful but mostly harmless past. She'd also changed her outfit. Her school clothes were hardly suited for a club scene. The outfit was tailored after one she'd once seen in her history lessons when covering recent events a picture of Aria T'loak had been shown. Benezia had seen the former Asari warlord a few times since her dad had defeated her, but now the enslaved former warlord had been modified, and while she may still hate the defeated warlord for what she had done to her family, she did have to admit she had at least had good sense for style.

And so she was arrayed much the same but where Aria had tailored her fabrics in black and white, Benezia had swapped out the white jacket for one of similar cut for a red one with black trim. She carried no side arm of any kind, not that she needed one. Her father had trained her for almost a decade in combat, ranging everything from shooting lessons to hand to hand combat. Combined with her biotics which were every bit as powerful as any Asari Matriarch, it was a formidable array of abilities.

Her attention was brought back to the present however as the human at her side tried copping a feel of her butt with his hand. Benezia in turn moved faster than the eye of any present could move and the next thing anyone knew she had smashed the face of the human straight into the bar. She settled back into her seat while both the bartender and one of the nearby dancers gave a rough laugh of approval. The Turian wisely went in search of less deadly companionship. Draining the last of the whiskey from her glass Benezia rose to her feet and left. True she had been drinking, but not much, she was after all enlisting in less than an hour and she intended to be ready.

She left the club and walked in silence the quarter of a mile to the Alliance base nearby. The base a training facility for the Alliance had been constructed since the war and seen a not surprising growth of business and industry around it, soldiers had needs after all. She walked through the alleyways hands in her pockets as she headed for the recruitment station at the base. Above she caught in her eye a bit of light from both the light reflected off of Sol on both the moon and the Citadel. But like most inhabitants of Earth she had long since grown used to their permanency in the sky and just simply ignored them. As she was walking through an alley between buildings the light of the massive recruitment advertisement on the wall of the recruiting building in view she heard someone call out to her.

"Hey Blue! This is the territory of the Savages, you want to pass through you have to pay the toll."

Benezia turned her head and did her best not to laugh. In the shadows of a side alley was gathered perhaps a dozen humans, judging by the clothing, most likely a gang, what had caused her amusement however was the one that had called out to her. She was eerily reminiscent to an old picture that she had seen of her Aunt Jack. Shaved head, tattoos, black leather jacket, it was all there. True the tattoos were different and the scars were missing but those were the little differences, the one truly different thing between the two was the attitude. This girl was just a punk who thought way too much of her judging by the stance. Jack on the other hand, she had been the real deal. Her humor however must have slipped through a little though as the human woman moved closer to her.

"Something funny Blue?"

The two were inches from each other by that point, eye to eye. Despite that however Benezia was unconcerned, she simply cracked her neck from side to side before giving her best predator look with her eyes. It was so good in fact that the human actually took a step back and Benezia could see fear in her eyes. With a smirk she turned and continued walking away. She had first seen that look twenty seven years before. It had been the look on her dad's face in the aftermath of the the attack on her parent's wedding, it was a look of anger without pity or remorse. She'd had three more chances to see it during subsequent assassination attempts on her family since, and since then she had grown to admire it and develop her own similar look, with a little help from her Aunt Jack. It still wasn't as good as her dad's and in all likelihood never would. Even Jack admitted no one could do that look better than her dad, but judging by the results of what had just happened, it was still plenty good enough.

She could hear the other members of the gang turning on the female that had tried to intimidate her. Unconcerned and uncaring she walked up to the recruitment building and entered inside through the main entrance.


	19. N7

Fires rage across the city and the shouts and cries of the human inhabitants of the small backwater Terminus colony echo across the night sky. The blood red moon shines down as in debris filled city streets alliance marines trade gunfire with soldiers in white and yellow armor. Cries of agony from civilians and combatants alike as the alliance marines push forward. Overhead fighters duel in the air while in orbit Alliance cruisers control the system but the fight is still just beginning.

It has been almost fifty years now since the galaxy was nearly exterminated during the Reaper War. Where once the Reapers were viewed as harbingers of death they are now seen as the guardians of the galaxy by all but those who once fought against them. Entire generations have been born since that war and in that time they have never known anything of what the galaxy was once like but apart from what they learn in history books in their schools. They learn the names of those who so changed the galaxy but to them it is just a distant lesson.

Still despite all that has happened, despite how Reapers now are the shepards protecting the many, there are still some tasks that must be handled by those that live within the galaxy itself. And so alliance marines exchange gunfire with Cerberus soldiers as they advance on the last Cerberus base of operations left in the galaxy. Once an organization that was a boogey man in the dark to many the organization became little more than petty terrorists and criminals, pirates and savages. Any lofty nature to their goals and ambitions not only long since forgotten but eradicated in its entirety. Even the pretense of working for the good of humanity is little more than a memory to those in its ranks. One thing though has not changed and Cerberus fights to the bitter end. Alliance marines are forced to fight for every foot of ground in the city where Cerberus elected to make their final stand. Normally for a group such as Cerberus an asteroid would simply dropped on them to eliminate them all but the group had taken the inhabitants of the city their facility was located under hostage, while a fiery death as the asteroid crashed home would be a fitting fate for its members the Alliance wasn't about to extinguish the lives of all the captured civilians as well. And so marines fight slowly through the city, making their way towards the entrances to the underground facility to force their way in and retrieve the civilians and eliminate Cerberus at last, once and for all.

-

Projectiles race back and forth as the grey armored figures of the squad of marines slowly advance. Soldiers all apart from their sniper and engineer they were engaged in a slow paced gun battle. Elsewhere in the city biotic units storm Cerberus defensive positions but from what the seargent in charge of the squad can make out their biotic support were pinned down by sniper fire farther back, and since the snipers in question were too far forward of their current position to take out, they were stuck at a snails pace. The sergent swore, spit at the ground in frustration and slapped a fresh thermal clip in before peeking around a ruined column to give a burst of fire to try and pin down the Cerberus troopers hunkered down in a strong defensive position that was only accessible to the marines by crossing a lengthy open and heavily exposed street.

"Mathews if you don't start doing some good with that sniper rifle of yours get down here with the rest of us."

He shouted up towards the top of a nearby tower where the squad's sniper was laying low as two Cerberus troopers kept him under constant fire effectively pinning him. The sarcastic Irish accented came back through the stutter of weapons fire.

"Sure sarge, why don't I just pop up and take a shot at one of those bastards, I'll only take five holes through my head while I'm at it, no big deal, I'm sure the docs can patch me up right?"

The sergeant just spit at the ground again in frustration.

"Smart ass."

He muttered under his breath, but he couldn't call the marine out on failing to do something that would only get his ass killed and leave the squad another man short. Leaning around the column again he let loose another burst of fire from his rifle before his hand went to his helmet.

"Captain Kyeen, Ma'am, we're still pinned down here, where are those biotics you promised me twenty minutes ago."

The response at the other end was carry the sound of gunfire from another part of the city but the voice of the female captain came through loud and clear.

"Still pinned down sergeant but don't worry help's on the way you should be freed up any minute now."

The sergeant gave a sigh and gave another burst of his rifle around the column as the connection closed. An explosion collapsing the wall of a nearby building caught his eyes but his heart quickly dropped into his stomach as the man watched white and yellow armored figures forcing their way through the breech.

"Three o'clock, troopers trying to flank, open fire on those sons of a bitches, Grimes, Akston, get over there and make sure no more come through and if either of you are the praying type get started cause if our backup gets here soon we're going to need to pull back before they flank us one too many times."

Even as he was finishing speaking though a biotic projectile flew past him from behind their position back towards Alliance lines throwing a Cerberus trooper back through the breech while a singularity quickly followed sealing the breach temporarily to more intruders. The sergeant's eyes were drawn to the lone figure standing near a building back the way they had come from. The first thing the eyes of the sergeant were drawn to was the N7 emblem upon the soldier's right breastplate and his eyes quickly traveled outward from there.

The figure was armored in what was most commonly worn by N7 Vanguards. The black armor gleamed both with a polished shine but also with a shine that only armor  
that had seen a lot of battle picked up. The soldier was obviously female as evidenced by the curves hidden beneath the armor although the helmet hid the head in its entirety. The Vanguard walked forward and looked down at the sergeant a few stray round of fire hitting her biotic barriers and harmlessly richoceting off.

"What's the situation?"

The voice muffled through the helmet's speakers lacked any noticeable accent but the sergent really didn't give a damn about that, not only had backup arrived but backup was N7, as far as the sergent was concerned Christmas had arrived early and if Santa had decided to wear armor for the occasion so be it.

"They've got a strong fortified position at the end of the street, all the side routes have been blocked off and this is the only way down, we've tried advancing but this is as far as we managed to get, after this there's no more cover and they've got a shot on you the whole damn way, I'd have lost my entire squad if I tried to push forward so I called for backup half an hour ago but my company's biotic support is pinned down somewhere else so I've just been trying to keep them occupied so they can't do anything else. What do you want us to do Ma'am?"

Referring to the soldier as if she were an officer had just been a guess on the sergeant's part but he figured it was pretty safe, you had to have been in for quite a while and done a whole lot of good while on the job to make N7.

"Just keep them pinned down I'll take care of the rest."

And as the woman drew one of the swords that were scabbard on her back and started walking towards the road leading to the Cerberus entrenched position the Sergeant and one of his squad could only exchange glances skeptically from one to another. In the end he only shrugged and gave his squad a moment to pop in fresh thermal clips before shouting.

"Covering fire!"

In that moment the Vanguard became sheathed in biotic energy and then vanished as she propelled herself down the street with a single biotic charge that carried her directly into the heart of the Cerberus position. Cerberus fire pinning down the soldiers instantly ceased although the sound of gunfire continued although as the seconds passed it quickly became sparser and sparser until only gunfire from other parts of the city could be heard. And then when the sergeant was beginning to seriously wonder if their heavy hitter was lying dead and how he was supposed to get to her if there were any more Cerberus soldiers lying in wait for them to make a rescue attempt the armored figure cloaked in biotic energy vaulted over one of the barricade walls and came into view.

"All clear sergeant, get your squad up here you're coming with me from here on in."

The soldiers all exchanged wry glances from one to another before in relays they started pulling out of their position and advancing down the road making sure to give each other cover as they moved up to where the Vanguard was waiting for them sword in hand. The sergeant took the time to peek over the wall to view the carnage within where the Vanguard had been and could only give a whistle of approval before checking his rifle making sure it was ready before looking at the N7.

"Ready when you are Ma'am."

-

The fighting got steadily worse the closer they got to the nearest entrance into the extensive Cerberus base beneath the city but through it all with their N7 leading the way the squad advanced. It didn't matter what they encountered they laid down cover fire while the Vanguard leapt into the heart of the fray and in seconds every single engagement would be over. Even when the aged and hulking form of an Atlas emerged from a garage the Vanguard didn't hesitate and danced up its exterior and back digging her swords in deep through the weak points in its armor before ending the fight by stabbing her sword through the canopy to kill the driver within.

Hell it almost became actually enjoyable for the squad as they made their way from Cerberus position to position through the streets, steadily advancing. The grunts of the squad openly started chatting back and forth what their one man wrecking crew looked like under her helmet and though the sergeant gave them all a stern look whenever they were discussing it a little too loudly he himself was entertaining his own thoughts of the same question as well.

They reached the entrance at long last and linked up with two other squads already trading gunfire with turrets guarding the entrance. Again their N7 guardian angel made quick work of the defenses and under her command the three squads of regular soldiers formed up behind her to prepare to breech the facility. Still it took a bit for their engineer to hack the blast doors that sealed the entryway and so the squads did have a bit of a breather during which the squad the Vanguard had originally joined up with were peppered with questions by members of the other squads, all of course regarding their mystery soldier who was standing nearby obviously listening to it all but remaining outside the conversation, the members of the squad thoroughly enjoyed it as it gave them a bit to brag even if most of the bragging was about how efficiently their mystery guest was cutting through the Cerberus forces they encountered. The stories brought the appropriate "ooh's" and "ahh's" at all the right spots. N7 were half mythical beings amongst the regular grunts, everyone heard the tales that a friend of a friend of a squad mate had all heard but it was another thing to hear them from the person who'd actually seen it occur, and the stories were so far living up to expectations.

Still the good times ended quickly enough as the engineer at last hacked the doors and opened the way in. The squads formed up their N7 leader at the front and they entered into the dark entryway of the facility. The power to their section of the facility cut off they were forced to travel through the darkness only with the lights on their guns to illuminate the way, the greener soldiers would jump at all the noises  
but the veteran soldiers kept their composure, at least on the surface, as for the N7 she was as hard to read as ever and didn't say a word just leading them through the labyrinth of pitch black tunnels. There were two ambushes in the dark and the marines did sustain three casualties although none of the wounds were fatal. The men were left with two more to hold a strategic point and ordered to maintain radio contact and wait for the medics to come while the rest continued on.

Eventually they reached the powered sections of the complex and came first on the prisoner holding cells. Though in the deapths of the facility the roundabout route the squads had been forced to take had actually had them emerge out into the lower levels where they encountered minimal resistane. One squad remained behind to release the prisoners and start escorting them out the way they had came while the rest moved on past the mix of all manner of species that constituted the colonists of the Terminus system colony. As they moved into the labs of the facility they started encountering resistance but it was the sight of what remained of those that had been 'test subects' in the labs themselves that had the soldiers feeling weak, not the thought of facing more combat. Gruesome experiments with no apparent goal filled all the labs, most of the occupants of which were long since dead. They did manage to find two living survivors, a human and a green asari that drew the curious eyes of several of the soldiers. They stabilized the two as best they could but the two were too medically unstable to be evacuated by anyone other than medical professionals. And so at the N7's orders the squad bunkered down there and protected the survivors to wait for the medics while she proceeded farther in, and that was the last of their engagements they had, or the last they saw of that Vanguard until after.

-

It wasn't until two days later that the sergeant and his squad again saw the Vanguard, as before fully armored with helmet on talking with the Asari they'd found in the labs. The campaign was over, Cerberus beat and the mission done, so as far as the soldiers were concerned it was time to celebrate a job well done and all of them had it in mind to buy their savior a drink. So when visiting one of their squad mates who'd taken fire during the mission while in the hospital and seeing the N7 and Asari talking they'd naturally waited for her to finish. A few of them even started groaning as the observed how close the Asari and Vanguard were but the others just quietly elbowed them, damsel in distress and all that, and after all, everyone loves the Asari, why should an N7 be any different from any other grunt when it came to something like that.

Still they all got their chance to thank their savior, even the sarge although his was considerably less colorful and more formal than his squad was. The moment was almost spoiled by one of the squad who'd been taking the celebrating and starting early and had gotten rather sour at seeing Asari and Vanguard so close together and wasn't about to give up on his hopes.

"Ma'am no disrespect and all that but what do you see in her? Don't get me wrong I like Asari just as much as any marine but still, when it comes to romance you won't do better than a marine."

A lot of angry glares got shot in the direction of the marine who had dared to judge their savior but the N7 just laughed a bit and reaching up removed her helmet. Needless to say all of them were shocked when they saw the blue skin beneath as the Asari within the armor removed her helmet.

"Soldier, I know marines pretty damn well, I also know what I want, however I'll let you off so long as you're buying for all of these guys for the rest of the night, do we have an understanding?"

And with a formality and seriousness that even sober individuals can rarely reach the soldier came to attention in nervousness and fear and saluted.

"Yes ma'am."

With a laugh the Asari clapped him on the soldier as he dropped the salute.

"Good man, now if you boys will excuse me, I need to be places."

As she started walking off helmet tucked under her arm she heard a question from behind her and turning a smile crossed her lips for a moment before she answered.

"Lieutenant Commander Benezia Shepard-T'soni."

And with a smile and laugh as the realization dawned on them she walked away.


End file.
